Keywords

This book has provided some major results from the Post Un-Lock research project conducted inside the SDG11Lab and the Responsible Risk Resilience Center (R3C) of the Politecnico di Torino with the collaboration of the Medical Statistics and Epidemiology Department of the University of Turin. The research has highlighted the importance of increasing the capacity of cities and communities to adequately respond to crisis and catastrophic events like the COVID-19 pandemic by enhancing co-evolutionary resilience and integrating ecological principles in the design and management of urban areas. In particular, the research has specifically pointed out the need for urban and regional developers and decision-makers to adopt new urban and ecosystem criteria and parameters for post-pandemic public and private space planning and design (Mirabella et al. 2019). Furthermore, the concept of Local Resilience Units (URLs), defined as the minimum system capable of responding to the effects of crises, has been pointed out as an opportunity for improving the quality of life of residents by promoting social life and reducing consumption of resources and energy. Local Resilience Units are based on the concepts of urban accessibility, proximity and walkability, representing important features of contemporary cities, which are required to adopt sustainable development models, in line with the Agenda 2030 objectives and specifically with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities. Table 14.1 provides the specific 7 targets and indicators used for monitoring the implementation (UN 2022).

Table 14.1 SDG 11 Goals, targets and indicators
Full size table

By reducing the need to long-distance travel and ensuring fairer access at the local level to urban services for a wide range of citizens, URLs may be able to help the achieving of a number of the above targets.

As pointed out by Pede et al. (2023), the concept of URL is connected to the so-called 15-min-city model. This refers to a transition toward more livable, resilient and inclusive cities, characterized by higher and equally distributed levels of accessibility to services (Moreno et al. 2021). It aims to reduce dependence on the car both in terms of use in favor of other modes of transport (modal shift) and in terms of ownership (car ownership), working on the two dimensions of time and space, i.e., on an optimal distribution of services in space and planning the time needed to reach them in a sustainable manner. It presupposes a “hierarchization” of services at the neighborhood and urban scale distinguishing between: “neighborhood services,” e.g., retail, primary secondary education, … and “basic services,” e.g., hospitals, universities, etc.

Neighborhood services should be reached on foot or by bicycle in 15 min, while basic services should be located in areas accessible within 15–30 min by using rapid mass transport (metros, trams, rapid transit buses, …), and where this is not sustainable (e.g., economically) by promoting forms of shared mobility also by car (car-sharing, taxis, dial-a-ride services, …). Therefore, this model should be interpreted as an approach to integrated transport-land-use planning, which aims at a reorganization of public spaces and services in favor of active mobility and micro-mobility, and at the same time reduce car dependency by supporting forms of collective and shared mobility.

Widespread proximity and accessibility to services through active, collective and shared forms of mobility has a direct impact also on Goal 10 (reduced inequalities) by helping to ensure equal access to work, education, health care, recreation and other social practices. On the other hand, it has an indirect impact on the goals concerning: health and well-being (SDG3), because walking and cycling are good for people's health and improve air quality; acting for the climate (SDG13), because promoting active, collective and shared forms of mobility reduces car travel and thus the emission into the atmosphere of dust and climate-altering gases such as carbon dioxide (note: car travel—in Italy—contributes to 24% of the total emissions of Co2 equivalent into the atmosphere).

As highlighted in the guidelines for National Urban Agenda developed by the Sustainable Infrastructure and Mobility Ministry (MIMS 2022), the realization of the 15-min-city paradigm requires technologies support. Technologies are key tools for the development of Cities of Tomorrow (Vandecasteele 2019) as these enable to: (i) acquire data from the field (all types of sensors); (ii) transport them bidirectionally, i.e., to and from the user (including 5G and 6G systems); (iii) process the data, up to and including producing simulations, what-if analyses and real predictions (storage systems, processing at the nodes—edge—and at the center, data mining systems, predictive modelling, machine learning, advanced analytics); (iv) deliver services and information (applications and user devices).

With reference to this paradigm, urban planners, local authorities and decision-makers should significantly increase the equipped pedestrian areas and footpaths as well as develop and/or extend all the following: widespread bicycle lanes; rapid mass transport networks for connections to/from main urban poles; bike-sharing and electric recharging infrastructure at the neighborhood scale; modal interchange car parks at stations or other multimodal hubs; traffic-restricted zones, in which active mobility and shared mobility services using electric vehicles (cars, bicycles, other) can be promoted. Furthermore, the active participation of citizens and stakeholders in the design and implementation of mobility services and the use of public spaces (Mobility as a Service, MaaS 3rd level) should be implemented.

Understanding mobility needs through data collection and simulation of impacts is crucial as well as deepening knowledge of demand, including unexpressed demand, tools and applications that provide information to citizens and enable feedback on travel and needs.

The realization of the post-pandemic city requires availability of real time data and technology networks and infrastructures, cyber-physics resilience, innovation and multimodal approaches. It requires innovation procurement systems, public–private partnerships, data compliance, but also education and digital skills and competences. Education and training are key factors in fostering innovation in cities and supporting green and digital transition, inclusion and social impact. Without appropriate skilled and educated human capital, the probability to deliver a sustainable future is equal to zero.