Riga climbs 13 positions in Smart City Index

RIGA - This year, Riga has climbed 13 places in the IMD Smart City Index, developed by the World Competitiveness Centre, and is currently ranked 46th, LETA was told at the press office of the Riga City Council.

Over the past two years, Riga has risen a total of 37 positions in the index, demonstrating development and progress towards the goal of becoming a sustainable, climate-neutral and resilient city, the local government said.

The Smart Cities Index is developed based on cities' technological and infrastructure indicators, as well as citizens' experience of urban quality, mobility, education, healthcare and access to municipal services.

In this ranking, Riga is ahead of a number of European cities, including Barcelona, Athens, Rome and Brussels, the local government notes. A total of 146 cities around the world were assessed this year. The top three cities in the Smart Cities Index are Zurich, Oslo and Geneva.

The index is mainly based on the data of population surveys. Riga residents particularly appreciated the efficient online access to public transport information, online ticketing for cultural events, and noted that public Wi-Fi has improved access to municipal services. More than half of the respondents say that online information has increased their confidence in authorities' decisions.

According to Riga residents, the city's main priorities should be affordable housing, more transparent governance, better employment opportunities and quality of healthcare.

Riga is currently implementing more than 30 smart city development projects covering a wide range of areas - mobility, digital and data solutions, sustainable energy, climate resilience, artificial intelligence and social innovation.