Global Silk Road Forum: helping Astana to become one of the top Smart Sustainable Cities
July 2nd, 2018: “Blockchain for smart, sustainable and low carbon cities” themed Panel session was held within the framework of “Global Silk Road. Cities’ Mayors Forum”. Evercity co-organized the panel session together with Science and Education center “Green Academy”.
The event was timed with official celebrations on Astana’s 20th anniversary, which was enhanced by the grand opening ceremony of Astana International Financial Centre and a crypto sandbox within the Centre, aimed at accelerating the blockchain technology in Kazakhstan.
The panel session itself was aimed at the discussion of international experience in the field of low carbon development within the framework of Paris Climate agreement realization and implementation of blockchain to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emission by cities’ plants.
The Work of the session began with a live video greeting from Dr Chaesub Lee — Chairman of UN specialized agency TSB ITU. He congratulated Astana on joining the international initiative «United for Smart Sustainable Cities», which happened with the direct support of Evercity. Dr Lee also noted that the creation of a specialised hub-accelerator of Smart Sustainable Cities is a confident bid on the leadership within the rating of TOP-50 Smart Cities of the world.
The session was curated by Dr. Bakhyt Esekina, member of “green” economy council under President of Kazakhstan Republic, director of Science and Education center “Green Academy” and Mr. Xiaochen Zhang, president of FinTech4Good, UN ESCAP Digital Economy Task Force.
The director of Entrepreneurship and investment department of Astana Akimat A. Abdykadyrov delivered the opening speech on the behalf on the city’s Akim, having expressed Akimat’s intentions and determination to cooperation with UN and other international organizations in the field of cities digitization and low carbon development.
Then, Evercity CEO and U4SSC initiative partner Alexey Shadrin solemnly handed the director of Entrepreneurship and investment department of Astana Akimat A. Abdykadyrov the official letter from Geneva, Switzerland about Astana joining the Initiative, signed by Dr. Chaesub Lee.
“United for Smart Sustainable Cities” initiative was created in 2016 with the support of over 10 international organisations, including Economic Commission for Europe, UN Development Programme, UNESCO and others.
All activities of the Initiative are based on the set of KPIs of Smart Sustainable Cities, recommended for implementation in various spheres of city life.
Having successfully implemented all KPIs, Astana will become on of the five cities in the world, fully compliant with Smart Sustainable Cities standards alongside with Singapore and Dubai. Evercity is determined to continue the effective collaboration with Astana on the implementation of KPIs, making our impact in making the world a better place.
