United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Policy Briefs on Ageing

There is now only a decade left to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to achieve its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A decade of accelerated action is needed to do so and cities are key actors in this process. In an increasingly digitalized world, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can help cities become more efficient in their operations and services and thus more sustainable, with opportunities for a greater quality of life and well-being of city dwellers of all generations, levels of ability and backgrounds. Focusing on three realms of urban life - housing, green and public spaces, and transport - this brief draws attention to the importance of ensuring that the needs of older persons are taken into account when planning, designing and implementing sustainable development plans at the local level. It addresses the question of how policy-makers, business and civil society actors, citizens, young and old, can design age-friendly sustainable urban environments with the help of new technologies that meet the needs of all generations, overcome the digital divide, foster inter-generational solidarity and ensure that older people are not left behind in sustainable and smart cities for all ages.