Thursday 29 June 2023
Wednesday 28 June 2023
With support of WCCD and UNDRR Pilot Project, data-driven cities chart path toward resilient future
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| WCCD - UNDRR Webinar for Data-Driven Resilience |
June 28, 2023
Toronto, Canada
As part of their joint Pilot
Project, the World Council on City Data (WCCD) and the United Nations Office
for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) are pleased to announce the WCCD ISO 37123
certification of five exceptional cities worldwide: Ajman (United Arab
Emirates), Doral (United States), Makati City (Philippines), Reykjavik
(Iceland), and Vaughan (Canada). This significant milestone, jointly recognized
by the WCCD and UNDRR, empowers cities to embrace urban resilience and sets a
compelling precedent for sustainable urban development globally.
These five cities have demonstrated their commitment to disaster risk reduction and resilience-building by not only obtaining the WCCD ISO 37123 certification but also by joining the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction's initiative Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030). As a result of WCCD ISO 37123 certification, the cities enter MCR2030 at the highest, C level. Through this partnership, they will actively contribute to the promotion of resilience-building practices and advance efforts to reduce disaster risk. They are now equipped with high-calibre data to inform Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Roadmaps for the future safety of their citizens
In a collaborative effort to share knowledge and best practices, the WCCD and UNDRR organized a series of three noteworthy webinars. These webinars brought together city staff and resilience experts from around the globe with the five participating cities, engaging in productive discussions on governing structures surrounding risk and building data-driven insights for effective strategies to build more resilient cities.
The webinars covered a broad range of topics vital to urban resilience, including profiling resilience in each participating city, key performance indicators for data-driven decision-making, exchanging knowledge on resilience governance structures designed to manage risk reduction, and discussing how data informs the creation of resilience roadmaps for the future. Participants had the opportunity to learn from the experiences of Ajman, Doral, Makati City, Reykjavik, and Vaughan, as these cities shared their success stories and demonstrated how the ISO 37123 certification has accelerated their journey towards resilience and disaster risk reduction. The webinars also celebrated the inclusion of these cities in the esteemed UNDRR MCR2030 Initiative, highlighting the importance of international peer-to-peer collaboration in addressing disaster risk and fostering sustainable urban development.
Dr. Patricia McCarney, President and CEO of the WCCD, and Ms. Mami Mizutori, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head of UNDRR, jointly expressed their enthusiasm for the achievements of the five cities and the impact of the UNDRR-WCCD Pilot. They stated, "We extend our sincere congratulations to Ajman, Doral, Makati City, Reykjavik, and Vaughan for their strong leadership in data-driven strategy for more resilient futures. The WCCD ISO 37123 certification and their participation in the UNDRR MCR2030 Initiative represent remarkable milestones in reducing risk and building more resilient cities”.
With WCCD ISO 37123 certification
and participation in the UNDRR MCR2030 Initiative, these cities have solidified
their position as global leaders in disaster risk reduction, resilience, and
data-driven decision-making. The WCCD and UNDRR remain dedicated to supporting
cities in their resilience journeys and will continue to work closely together
to foster global collaboration and knowledge exchange. As cites confront
evolving challenges, the WCCD and UNDRR's joint efforts to promote the ISO
37123 standard and build data for more resilient urban communities will remain
resolute.
Wednesday 7 June 2023
Royal Commission for AlUla Joins A Globe-Spanning Network of Cities Committed to Sharing, Analysing, and Utilising Data to Deliver Transformative Positive Change for Residents and Visitors
June 07, 2023
AlUla, Saudi Arabia
The Royal Commission for AlUla’s (RCU) use of comprehensively collected and expertly curated data to empower the ongoing sustainable development of AlUla and improve people’s quality of life through smart services and more have been recognized by the World Council of City Data (WCCD).
WCCD’s recognition of RCU for implementing ISO 37120 –a key standard for successful urban and social development through the practical use of data –means AlUla is now an integral part of WCCD’s globe-spanning network of more than 100 data-driven partner cities that work closely to share up-to-date information.
The first international standard for city data and the gold level of certification, ISO 37120 establishes, defines, and steers the performance of city services and their impact on the quality of life of residents and visitors. Its scope considers key sectors and services including energy, education, transport, recreation, and urban planning among others.
Drawn from a variety of strategic sources and as a result of far-reaching policies on the ground, the data collected as part of the ISO 37120 Standard allows cities to make effective and transformative decisions that greatly aid infrastructure and social development on a large scale. A dashboard of unified data acts as a single source of truth for AlUla’s transformative development by RCU and alongside key partners.
WCCD officials attended a ceremony at the iconic Maraya venue in AlUla on 7 June to congratulate RCU on its long-term strategic decision to embed a culture of data use and analysis into its comprehensive regeneration plan for AlUla.
Eng. Amr Almadani, CEO of RCU, said: “As part of our commitment to sustainable and responsible development, and to sharing our cultural legacy with the world, this certification and partnership with the WCCD are critical to RCU’s plans to move forward with the development of AlUla and to continuously improve the quality of life for everyone who comes here to live, work, or visit. A commitment to high-quality data underpins our sustainability and resiliency policies. The WCCD’s high caliber independently verified, and globally standardized data is an important opportunity to benchmark our progress, learn from other cities across Saudi Arabia and globally, and share AlUla’s lessons with the world.”
Dr. Patricia McCarney, WCCD President and CEO, said: “AlUla stands out in Saudi Arabia and globally for its commitment to providing a sustainable, resilient, smart, and prosperous future for residents and visitors alike. I am pleased to congratulate RCU and the impressive AlUla team. I am delighted to be able to extend the WCCD’s congratulations in person and visit AlUla, a city that is fast becoming one of the world’s premier destinations for nature, culture, and heritage.”
ISO 37120 includes 104 fully numeric indicators across 19 themes. It measures city services and quality of life, underpinned by standardized definitions and methodologies. The WCCD was founded in 2014 and helps communities of all sizes worldwide to report standardized, independently verified, and globally comparable city data.
For more information, please contact:
Dr. Patricia McCarney
President & CEO
World Council on City Data
Monday 5 June 2023
Ajman receives ISO 37120, ISO 37122, and ISO 37123 "triple" certification from the World Council on City Data
June 05, 2023Ajman, United Arab Emirates
Edited into English and shortened--see original in links below.
On behalf of His Highness Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman and Chairman of the Executive Council, Sheikh Humaid bin Ammar Al Nuaimi received WCCD’s ISO 37120 (City Services and Quality of Life), ISO 37122 (Smart Cities), and ISO 37123 (Resilient Cities) certifications from Dr. Patricia McCarney, the WCCD President and CEO. A number of the Emirate’s Government Directors and Senior Officials were also in attendance.
His Highness Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi said, "We are delighted and proud of Ajman's significant milestone achievement, which adds to its record of accomplishments as the first Emirate in the United Arab Emirates, the first in the Middle East, and the seventh globally to receive three ISO certifications. This achievement reflects the diligent and continuous efforts made by the Emirate and its partners towards the well-being of its citizens and the happiness of its entire society. It highlights our keenness to promote the Emirate and serve the interests of its community."
His Highness added that developing government services according to the highest and latest standards, improving the quality of life of residents in the Emirate, and ensuring their happiness, is at the top of their priorities. Today, with this global recognition, he announce[d] the continuation of Ajman's comprehensive development plans that contribute to sustainably [and] achieving the indicators of the Emirate's attractiveness, while preserving Ajman as a flexible and smart global city with leading services and modern infrastructure.
Sheikh Humaid
Bin Ammar Al
Nuaimi praised the cooperation of the relevant entities in this achievement,
and the role of Ajman Statistics Center in supporting decision-makers by
providing various international statistics as indicators of Ajman's
attractiveness, enhancing knowledge exchange and expertise, and building
strategic partnerships in the field of statistics and indicator measurement.
This contributed to achieving three ISO certifications, which is considered
one of the most globally recognized certifications.
Dr. Hajar Al-Hubaishi, Executive Director of the Ajman Statistics Center, provided a detailed explanation of the Emirate's journey in measuring indicators within the approved methodology. She also stressed the importance of cooperation between local and federal entities and their role in providing the required key indicators.
Dr. Patricia McCarney echoed the
remarks and added: “The WCCD is privileged to work with cities around the world
in helping them to harness high calibre, globally standardized and
independently verified city data to drive prosperous change, and Ajman stands
out in the United Arab Emirates and globally for its commitment to providing a
sustainable, resilient, smart and prosperous future for its residents and
visitors alike. I am so pleased to congratulate His Highness Sheikh Humaid bin
Rashid Al Nuaimi, Dr. Hajar Saeed Alhubaishi and the impressive team at Ajman
Statistic Centre and across the City, on Ajman’s “triple certification” – on the
three ISO Standards in the ISO 37120 Series, for Sustainable, Smart and
Resilient Cities. In addition, it is
such an honour to support Ajman as part of a global project with the United
Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). Ajman is such an important
city in the global network of cities participating in Making Cities Resilient
2030 (MCR2030). Through the WCCD’s partnership with Ajman Statistic Centre, we
look forward to our continued WCCD-Ajman cooperation for many years.”
The event received extensive media coverage in the UAE and across the Region.
Read more:
عجمان تحصد 3 شهادات عالمية لـ «آيزو المدن» | صحيفة الخليج (alkhaleej.ae)
وكالة أنباء الإمارات - عجمان تحصد 3شهادات عالمية لآيزو المدن
(wam.ae)
عجمان تحصد 3شهادات عالمية لآيزو المدن (emarat-news.ae)
عجمان تحصد 3شهادات عالمية لآيزو المدن - أردو بوینت (urdupoint.com)
عمار النعيمي: تطوير الخدمات وتحسين جودة الحياة أولوية –
اخبار الامارات العاجلة (emaratyah.ae)
For more information, please contact:
Dr. Patricia McCarney
President & CEO
World Council on City Data
