In a rapidly evolving world, urban centers face unprecedented challenges. From pandemics and climate change to social, economic, and technological shifts, the twenty-first century presents a landscape filled with both obstacles and opportunities. Now more than ever, these challenges and their required solutions are becoming more interconnected and interdependent. Cities that take a coordinated approach to digitalization and resilience building are better prepared to make progress at speed and scale while withstanding the concurrent urban challenges of today.
The fourth Cities on the Frontline session of the year, jointly organized by Resilient Cities Network and Visa, “Unlocking Urban Resilience Through Public Financial Innovation” touched upon our latest report, ‘Cities that Thrive’ that showcases how city governments can achieve rapid, context-driven progress across critical areas by integrating Public Financial Technologies as a foundational layer within their resilience toolkit. Bringing together Tanya Filer – Founder and CEO, StateUp, and city representatives from London and Broward County Theo Blackwell – Chief Digital Officer, Greater London Authority and Philip R. McChesney, – Assistant Chief Innovation Officer and Director, Consumer Protection Division, Broward County, the session dove into key trends, best practices and lessons learned in cities around the world to inform and inspire urban practitioners in their path to a more resilient future.
Tanya Filer kicked off the session by discussing the research conducted through the ‘Cities that Thrive’ study, which involved the digital and resilience teams of over 30 cities. The study highlighted common and interdependent challenges cities face, such as fiscal and financial constraints, climate change impacts, and social and financial uncertainties. Tanya emphasized the need for updated management practices and integrating technology into resilience strategies, noting that cities are beginning to recognize the importance of Public Financial Innovation in governance and interactions with communities and local businesses. Examples included Mexico City’s “My Scholarship to Start” program, focusing on disbursing payments for education resources to enrolled students and Singapore’s use of tourist payment data to support local businesses. However, Tanya stressed that many cities are still in the early stages of adopting potentially key Public Financial Technologies (PFT) like digital payments, digital purchasing, and data analytics, which remain underused. Barriers to innovation include organizational silos, knowledge barriers, gaps in infrastructure, regulatory challenges, and cultural barriers. Tanya concluded by calling for a collaborative, ecosystem-based approach, advocating for problem-sharing to develop more innovative solutions, and invited city officials to utilize this research in their own contexts.
Next, Theo Blackwell, London’s Chief Digital Officer since 2017, highlighted London’s efforts to transform the city’s approach to smart city initiatives from academic discussions to actionable plans, focusing on four main areas. The first was the improvement of connectivity infrastructure, where the city raised its full fiber coverage from 4% to 89% between 2017 and 2024. This initiative also promoted digital inclusion by enhancing residents’ digital skills and providing recycled laptops. Theo then discussed the development of the Data for London platform, driven by the London Office of Technology and Innovation, which streamlined data access and enhanced collaboration among boroughs. He stressed the need for trust and transparency, illustrated by the Emerging Technology Charter for London, and the importance of bold leadership enabled by data-informed decision-making. To conclude, Theo praised Transport for London’s role in popularizing innovations like contactless payments globally and its partnerships with Google Maps to improve cycling routes, demonstrating the global impact of local data-driven initiatives.
Moving on, Philip McChesney discussed Broward County, Florida’s recent extreme weather events and their efforts to enhance climate resilience as a new member of the Resilient Cities Network. Some of the challenges he highlighted included tidal flooding, heavy rainfalls, and sea level rise, as well as an increasing frequency of weather extremes and a predicted active hurricane season. To respond to these challenges, Philip shared, Broward County is developing a multi-decade resilience plan focused on proactive risk mitigation, infrastructure improvement, public information, regional planning, and economic investment. Some key initiatives include the E-Permits One-Stop, which simplifies permitting and licensing for all 31 municipalities, and the Citizen Data Portal, which provides accessible data organized by subject matter, including climate resilience data. The portal features a resilience dashboard to encourage citizen involvement. Broward County identified future focus areas in IoT (Internet of Things) sensors, early detection of heat and flooding events, drone and lidar imaging, augmented and virtual reality, AI (Artificial Intelligence), and machine learning. Throughout his intervention, Theo emphasized continuous technological development and resilience, expressing pride in the county’s partnerships and commitment to ensuring a resilient and economically thriving region for decades to come.
The insights shared during the session underscored the transformative potential of integrating technology and innovative financial practices into urban resilience strategies. Tanya Filer, Theo Blackwell, and Philip McChesney illustrated through diverse case studies and practical initiatives how cities can overcome fiscal constraints, climate change impacts, and social uncertainties by leveraging digital tools and fostering collaboration. The session highlighted the need for an ecosystem-based approach, emphasizing the importance of data-driven decision-making, public-private partnerships, and community engagement. As cities worldwide navigate complex challenges, the lessons and strategies discussed provide a valuable framework for building a more resilient, adaptive, and sustainable urban future.
Key Insights:
- Public financial innovation leveraging technology can transform city governance, enhancing resilience through predictive analytics and emergency response systems.
- Smart city approaches require actionable plans rather than theoretical frameworks to effectively address urban challenges.
- Digital skills programs and initiatives like laptop recycling are essential for empowering residents and bridging digital divides.
- Robust data platforms, like London’s Data Store and Broward County’s Citizen Data Portal, facilitate effective data sharing and informed decision-making across municipalities.
- Innovative uses of technology, such as IoT sensors and AI, play a crucial role in early detection of climate-related events and infrastructure resilience.
- Leadership supported by data-driven insights is crucial for making impactful policy decisions that advance sustainability and urban resilience.
- Overcoming barriers like regulatory complexities, knowledge gaps, and cultural resistance requires an ecosystem-based approach involving governments, residents, startups, and SMEs.
- Partnerships with local, regional, and national entities are instrumental in strengthening resilience efforts and ensuring economic prosperity through climate challenges.
Dr. Tanya Filer, CEO and Founder, StateUp
“As we update this toolkit, it’s clear that technology has a very vital role to play, not in isolation but alongside a range of policy levers, behavioral levers, other innovation levers. Technology needs to be integrated in that toolkit.”
Phil McChesney, Assistant Chief Innovation Officer & Director, Consumer Protection Division, Broward County
“Our current undertaking is to develop a county-wide, multidecade, resilience plan, not only responding to heat and flood risk events and impacts but rather it’s about proactive risk mitigation strategies that improve our infrastructure, inform the public, and facilitate regional planning, future investment, and a robust economy.”
Theo Blackwell, Chief Digital Officer of Greater London Authority
“Without digital inclusion, you know, the moral deficit is that people are left behind but also on a programmatic point of view, you cannot progress anything on this agenda without digital inclusion.”
