Svetlana Rastvortseva (p), Ekaterina Panina

Oliver-Valentin Dinter

The development of the urban environment and the enhancement of human capital are increasingly achieved through the implementation of digital technologies and the city's innovation system. Innovation system addresses social issues and enhances the resilience of the system, increasing the capacity of individuals, organizations, cities, regions and countries to tackle new challenges and ensure innovative economic efficiency.
The aim of this study is to determine the nature and extent of the impact of digitalization on achieving sustainable development in cities of the European Union. The study not only assesses the influence of digitalization as a component of the urban system and its role in the economic development of the European Union but also develops recommendations for leveraging the experience of European cities in shaping and advancing an optimal digital transformation policy for other countries and regions worldwide.
To analyze the impact of digitalization on the sustainable development of cities in the European Union, quantitative methods were employed to objectively assess the relationships between digital and socio-economic indicators. Regression analysis serves as the primary method, enabling the identification of statistically significant relationships between digitalization indicators and key sustainable development indicators.
The dependent variables in this study include key sustainable development indicators such as gross urban product per capita, the number of students in higher education and the level of environmental sustainability. The independent variables encompass key digitalization indicators, such as the share of employment in the information and communication technology sector, the average speed of fixed broadband Internet, mobile network speed, and the availability of public and municipal services online. This selection is justified by the crucial role digital technologies play in transforming economic and social environments, influencing access to education, infrastructure quality and economic growth.
The study covered the period from 2019 to 2022 and included 172 cities in the European Union. Specifically, the sample comprised cities from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Spain, Finland, Croatia and Latvia. The results of the study demonstrate that digitalization has a significant impact on the sustainable development of cities in the European Union. In particular, a positive relationship was identified between employment in the ICT sector, the availability of high-speed Internet and key sustainable development indicators such as GDP per capita and the number of students in higher education. This confirms the hypothesis that digital transformation contributes to economic growth and expands opportunities for higher education.

Oliver-Valentin Dinter (p), Alexandru Banica, Cristian-Manuel Fosalau, Abdelillah Hamdouch, Corneliu Iatu, Karima Kourtit

Ioana Bejenaru

The socialist regimes in Eastern Europe imposed strict urban planning, with the state being the only actor in this process, while private property was almost non-existent. This determined compact urban spaces focused on industrial development and collective housing. Following the transition to a market economy, decentralization and the withdrawal of state control resulted in permissive local authorities and multiple private actors driving development, without a clear legislative framework. In Romania and Poland, peri-urban areas have experienced a chaotic and unsustainable growth which was dominated by residential developments, as a response to housing demand. These areas are characterized by numerous socio-spatial inequalities, manifesting limited access to essential services despite their attractiveness determined by lower real estate prices and perceived tranquility.
This study examines socio-spatial inequalities in peri-urban areas of six case studies—Szczecin, Bydgoszcz and Lublin in Poland, as well as Timișoara, Cluj-Napoca and Iași in Romania—using the concept of the 15-minute city. By mapping accessibility to services categorized according to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, a 15-minute city proximity index was computed to identify vulnerable territories. The analysis also correlates accessibility patterns with real estate prices to understand how service provision impacts area attractiveness. Data sources include high-resolution Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL) population rasters, Google Maps API for service locations and ratings, and web-scraped real estate prices.
Findings reveal significant inequalities in service accessibility within peri-urban areas, shaped by local and national factors. Policies tailored to each study area’s unique characteristics are proposed to mitigate these disparities and enhance resilience. Future research will involve interviews with stakeholders to better understand motivations and propose solutions at local and national levels aimed at fostering sustainable development patterns and improving quality of life.

Ioana Bejenaru (p), Bogdan-Constantin Ibănescu, Corneliu Iațu

Eduarda Marques Da Costa

Quality of life and smart urban strategies are mutually influential, hinging on “sustainable development” as a foundation, becoming slowly but surely indispensable for urban areas. In this work, we assess how the inhabitants of a highly dynamic city (Iasi, Romania) relate to the authorities’ smart development efforts to improve the overall quality of life for the citizens. This effort has been sustained by implementing smart initiatives at an accelerated pace during the past decade, transforming Iasi Municipality into one of the leading smart cities in Romania. Some of the implemented initiatives are targeting tax payment accessibility for both public transport and municipality taxes, green transport and e-learning. To carry out our analysis, we conducted a large-scale semi-structured survey to acquire various data about their awareness of existing smart initiatives, city mobility, and their “digital life” and evaluate people’s perception of their life quality and what impact smart initiatives have on them. Residents widely recognise and adopt many of the city’s initiatives, significantly influencing their daily lives and improving their overall quality of life. Moreover, we identify and point out some differences between public authorities’ vision and population regarding tax payments, recording complaints and sending notifications, and promoting points of interest for residents and tourists.

Nuno Marques da Costa (p), Ana Louro , Eduarda Marques Da Costa, Luis Encalada

Svetlana Rastvortseva

Triggered by the AccessCity4All Project—an initiative aimed at adapting the 15-Minute City concept to support active mobility in neighbourhoods with different levels of accessibility—this study examines how Lisbon, a consolidated and dense city, has developed an urban policy framework to implement this model. By integrating sustainability, accessibility, and digitalisation, the 15-Minute City approach is explored as a strategy to enhance urban resilience and liveability.
This qualitative analysis identifies and examines various recent urban planning instruments in Lisbon that, explicitly or implicitly, promote the 15-Minute City. It includes a review of policy documents, objectives, specific actions, geographic interventions, and their impact on urban accessibility and mobility. The research also evaluates the extent to which these strategies contribute to mitigating urban vulnerabilities while fostering more inclusive and adaptive neighbourhoods.
Lisbon’s commitment to this paradigm is evident in programs such as One Square in Each Neighbourhood, which reinforces micro-centralities and public spaces, and There’s Life in My Neighbourhood, explicitly aligned with the 15-Minute City approach to enhance local identity, quality of life, and active mobility. Significant investments in cycling infrastructure, pedestrian-friendly environments, and digital mobility solutions further support this transition.
By focusing on distributed urban interventions that respond to local socio-spatial specificities, this study underscores how Lisbon’s approach to the 15-Minute City serves as a replicable model for resilient and liveable cities. The findings highlight both successes and challenges in implementing such a transformative urban paradigm, demonstrating the critical role of political will, integrated planning, and digital tools in achieving long-term sustainability goals. This presentation is integrated in the Project “AccessCity4All - Adapting the 15-Minute City concept to support active mobility in neighbourhoods with different levels of accessibility” (DUT Call 2023).