Genoa (pilot city)

The City of Genova called once “La Superba”, is the capital of Liguria Region, situated in the North West of Italy. The city (602.000 inhabitants) is characterised by one of the largest historical centre in Europe, designated as World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO since July 2006, and by its commercial port, the most important in Italy for traffic flows and one of the first in the Mediterranean Sea.

The urban environment, defined by the topography of the area, shows urban development mainly in the coastal area sloping down towards the sea. Genoa has a very particular streets layout due to the lack of space and the absence of alternative routes.

The challenge of the City is to build instruments and strategies for a different concept of local administration, focused on quality of development and economical revival.

Genova, after the almost complete dismantling of the heavy industry, has started a transformation process in a Smart City that led her to be a leader both in National to European level through European thematic projects aimed not only in implement infrastructure aspects related to energy conservation and quality of life, but also based on a new model of integrated service delivery based on the involvement of the entire city and all their different spirits (business, academia and social). Now the Municipality is experimenting a new method of city government and governance through a creative exercise in steps, with new forms of social co-operation involving the whole community, with the idea of integrating public (local Institutions, all the authority levels) and private sectors for projects of economic, social and environmental transformation.

City of Genova is also actively involved in many research projects focused on education and solidarity, quality of life, economy and employment, communication and promotion of the City, Port and infrastructures, city management, strongly integrated in the “Smart City” programme aiming to improve energy efficiency and citizens quality of life. Within this framework, it joined the Covenant of Mayors - a European movement aiming to develop energy efficient policies and to improve renewable energy sources, in terms of reduction in CO2 emissions through enhanced energy efficiency and cleaner energy production and use. Signatories of the Covenant of Mayors contribute to policy objectives through the implementation of their Sustainable Energy Action Plan. It is one of the first Italian cities signing the Genoa SEAP fixing the objective of a 23.7% lowering of carbon emissions in 2020. This process is being developed through an integrated strategic planning involving public and private stakeholders at city level.

Genova Smart City aims moreover to improving quality of life through sustainable economic development based on research and technology and led by the municipality in an integrated planning process. Being European Culture Capital in 2004, Genoa set, among others, the objective to establish also a new culture for accessibility, mobility and a safer city. The Municipality of Genoa is one of the leading cities in Europe regarding to sustainable mobility policies and it has an impressive track record in implementing measures and projects in the area of public transport promotion, clean vehicles, access control, urban goods transport alternative modes and intelligent transport systems.