Redacción de The Smart City Journal, Author at thesmartcityjournal.com

Turning the tide on plastic in Europe’s rivers

From drones and smart cameras to biodegradable packaging, EU-funded researchers are working to remove plastic from rivers before it ever reaches the sea From his bedroom desk in the Belgian town of Dendermonde, Gert Everaert used to watch the river Scheldt flow past. Barges and small boats drifted by. Birds fished. But the river also…

circular economy, environmental sustainability, EU Projects, european rivers, microplastics, plastic pollution

Novel tech for next-generation green agriculture

The EU-funded ECONUTRI project’s nutrient management technologies are helping to reduce fertiliser dependency, eliminate pollution of aquifers and pave the way for more resilient agricultural systems One of agriculture’s most pressing environmental challenges is nutrient pollution. Excess nitrogen and phosphorus from manure, slurry and synthetic fertilisers are over-fertilising soils and contaminating water and air, contributing…

Climate Change, EU Projects, fertilisers, green agriculture, nutrient management, water pollution

2026 Smart City Summit & Expo: AI Creates New Urban Horizons

This year’s theme, Digital and Green Transformation, brings together seven major ministries and 13 county and city governments to showcase how policy and technology integrate to drive sustainable urban growth Taiwan is putting cities in control of their own AI brains. The 13th Smart City Summit & Expo (SCSE) and Net Zero City Exhibition opens…

AI City, Digital Transformation, G20 Smart Cities Alliance, net zero cities, Smart City Summit & Expo, Urban Innovation

Building a powerful EU-wide network for climate resilience

The P2R project has chosen 62 new regions from across Europe to join it in the battle against climate change Since its launch in 2023, the EU-funded P2R(opens in new window) project has been supporting regions and communities throughout Europe on their journey to climate resilience. Now, 62 of the continent’s most climate-vulnerable regions have…

Climate Adaptation, climate policy, climate resilience, EU Projects, regional cooperation, Sustainability

Generating growth and competitiveness through innovative SMEs

This CORDIS Results Pack showcases nine projects supported by the Innovative SMEs Partnership, co-funded by the EU through Horizon Europe, the Eureka Network and innovation funders in the participating countries Europe’s economy is based on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which comprise 99 % of all businesses(opens in new window) and employ over 88 million…

European innovation, Eurostars programme, innovative SMEs, research and innovation, SME competitiveness, technology transfer

Catching up with Impactor: Driving innovation in hip replacement surgery with ImpacTell’s smart hammer

Thanks to the EU backing, French company ImpacTell is preparing to market its instrumented hammer that offers orthopaedic surgeons objective and reliable estimates of implant stability The EU-funded Impactor project was launched in 2022 to develop an instrumented hammer – a medical device that allows surgeons to assess the stability of orthopaedic implants used in…

artificial intelligence, EU Research, hip replacement, medical technology, orthopaedics, surgical innovation

Six trends reshaping the global tourism industry

The study emphasizes that tourism is evolving toward more connected, flexible and lifestyle-driven experiences The global tourism industry is entering a new phase defined by technological innovation, service personalization and shifting traveler preferences. This is highlighted in the Travel Trends 2026 report, produced by Amadeus in collaboration with consulting firm Globetrender, which identifies six major…

artificial intelligence, personalization, tourism trends, travel experiences, travel industry, Travel Technology

Connected countryside: smart tech is recharging rural Europe

Improved connectivity is transforming daily life in rural Europe, from safer school runs to cleaner energy, while supporting local economies and cutting emissions Getting children ready and on time for school can be stressful. In Finnish Lapland, where winters are long and snowy and some students travel long distances by bus, the challenge is even…

digitalisation, Innovation, Renewable Energy, rural development, smart communities, smart transport

Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Aspen Institute Bring Together Global Mayors to Strengthen Cooperation as International Alliances Strain

From April 27-29 in Madrid, Spain, Bloomberg CityLab will convene more than 700 mayors, policymakers, innovators, and creatives to address major issues facing cities worldwide including AI, housing and affordability, and the role of cities as bulwarks of democracy in an era of polarization Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Aspen Institute will bring the world’s mayors,…

artificial intelligence, Aspen Institute, Bloomberg CityLab, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Madrid, Urban Governance

Telefónica positions itself as a 5G benchmark within NATO with a center for the development of this mobile technology

The only 5G testing space for military operations in Europe, 5G Cyber Defense Center, developed by the operator and the Ministry of Defense, will be integrated this month into NATO Digital Foundry, a pioneering initiative of the NATO Communications & Information Agency (NCIA), to develop disruptive technologies contributed by member countries of the organization from…