Leveraging Satellite Data to Realize Sustainable Smart City Approaches to Urban Development in Developing Countries

Leveraging Satellite Data to Realize Sustainable Smart City Approaches to Urban Development in Developing Countries

All developing countries
(with a particular focus on Southeast and South Asia)

• As urban populations surge, many cities are experiencing worsening traffic congestion, environmental pollution, and infrastructure vulnerabilities, which undermine residents’ Quality of Life (QoL).
• In particular, in developing countries, the efficient and effective use of data—including both satellite and ground-based data—has not progressed sufficiently and is not being fully harnessed to address urban challenges.

• Example 1: To advance smart city development in the Davao metropolitan area (Philippines), plan and evaluate a small-scale pilot project to alleviate traffic congestion. (Illustrative satellite data use: traffic volume measurement.)
• Example 2: Pilot and validate a smart city plan in Bangkok (Thailand) that integrates solutions combining satellite and ground data for urban development and transport planning to improve residents’ QoL. (Illustrative satellite data uses: assessment of natural disaster risks such as floods and earthquakes, air pollution monitoring, estimation of building types and heights, traffic volume measurement.)
• Example 3: Plan and validate a smart city plan in Bhutan that incorporates an early warning system integrating satellite and ground data to protect citizens from natural disasters (e.g., earthquakes and glacial lake outburst floods). (Illustrative satellite data uses: natural hazard risk assessment, including floods from glacial lake outburst and identification of active fault locations; mapping of urban infrastructure such as vulnerable buildings, hospitals, schools, and culturally important heritage sites.)

Note: We also welcome demonstration projects other than those envisioned above, provided they contribute to solving the issues outlined here.

• Practical experience in addressing urban challenges by leveraging satellite data and ground-based data such as IoT
• Experience in launching new businesses (In particular, we expect the development of new business models that utilize satellite data to solve urban challenges.)

Note: We also welcome achievements and expertise beyond the above expectations, provided they contribute to solving the stated challenges.

Introduction to stakeholders of relevant JICA projects and exploration of collaboration methods:

• Philippines: Metro Davao Area Comprehensive and Sustainable Urban Development Master Plan Formulation Project
• Thailand: Smart Transportation Strategy to Achieve Thailand 4.0

Fukuoka(on-site pitch)・Tokyo(on-site pitch)