Companies such as Telefónica Empresas, Endesa and Kapsch attended the event and acted as promoters of a corporate fabric that opened up the potential of information and communication technologies (ICT), connected devices – the Internet of Things – and the development of 5G for more efficient and sustainable urban management, where, furthermore, citizenship becomes an active player in such management. This is the case of multi-nationals such as Bigbelly, NEC, Bosch, Nedgia, Itron, Oracle, Quistor and Toyota Hybrid, among others, as well as companies from the Smart City Cluster, that were also present. Pursuant to this paradigm, the event hosted the presentation of prototypes and pioneering solutions such as streetlights equipped with defibrillators and electric vehicle charging points, and smart and digitalized waste baskets charged with solar energy, that compact waste and automatically notify the waste collection system, for example.

Furthermore, those in attendance were able to access a vast range of ideas associated with the development of integral management systems designed to measure indicators and to interact with users in real time, waste treatment that involves a second life of the same in accordance with the principles of the circular economy, opportunities in relation to big data and artificial intelligence, and multiple sustainable mobility alternatives.

As a meeting point between municipal public demand and the specialised supplier fabric, Greencities has taken another step in 2019 by launching, for the first time, a specific call for towns and cities from all over Spain to submit their challenges and projects in relation to this issue. This has been the case of Algeciras, Tarragona, Puerto Real, Rota, Malaga, Valladolid and San Cugat del Vallés, for example. This action enabled the companies present to identify specific management needs and initiatives and, as such, collaboration and business opportunities. Some of these proposals were presented by the mayors themselves, as in the case of José Ignacio Landaluce, Antonio Romero and José Javier Ruiz from the towns of Algeciras, Puerto Real and Rota in the province of Cadiz, respectively. Representatives from Tarragona, Valladolid, San Cugat del Vallès and L’Hospitalet de Llobregat also particpated. The conversion of travellers into tourists; the community and integrated development of the Bay of Cadiz; the management of water resources; efficient lighting; incentives for the use of public transport; shared and connected logistics operations; the monitoring of data through buildings and systems with direct interaction with citizenship for the reporting of incidents on public roads are some of the proposals put forward.

It should be pointed out that one of the most emblematic items of content of Greencities is the networking area that brings together professionals and companies with municipal representatives and technicians on an annual basis – with over 60 towns and cities participating this year – to exchange ideas on supply demand for products and services.

Hence, it is estimated that over 4,600 work meetings have been held in 2019, the results of which will be consolidated in the coming weeks and months.

With regard to the conference and round table programme – with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) as the guiding thread -, more than 200 experts have taken part in panels and structured activities in accordance with topics and content. This is the case of the 2nd Forum on Circular Economy, which, organised jointly with the Malaga City Council Department of Environmental Sustainability, addressed current aspects including Spanish and local strategy in this field, the future of mobility and the concept of programmed obsolescence, among others.

Furthermore, and one of this year´s new features, Greencities has now included in the ICT & Sustainability Forum the presentation of the Spanish Urban Agenda 2030 by representatives from the Ministry of Development – which underlines the role of towns and cities in this development – and the ‘Talent Woman by Greencities & Endesa X’ initiative, a colloquium that has influenced the role of women in the configuration of smart cities based on the promotion of equality and diversity as levers of success. It should be pointed out that in the past, the event was the framework chosen by different organisations for their sector calls, as is the case of the Network of Agents for the Intelligent Development of Andalusia (Radia) – organised by the Andalusia Federation of Towns, Cities and Provinces (FAMP) and the Ministry of Economy, Knowledge, Companies and Universities of the Government of Andalusia -, and a new input from Databeers Malaga.

With regard to internationalisation, Extenda – the Agency for the Promotion of Andalusia Abroad, an affiliate of the Andalusia Government Ministry of Presidency, Public Authorities and the Interior, organised an inverse mission this year to place 28 Andalusia-based companies – present in the forum´s exposition area – in contact with a dozen international guests from the USA, China, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Mexico, the Netherlands and Portugal. In addition to the agenda of scheduled meetings, short business presentations were held in the Elevator Pitch room, assigned to this type of content.

The forum has once again embraced the main scientific agenda associated with sustainable activity in buildings and urban areas, as well as the life cycle of cities and their constructions through the International Greencities Congress, at which more than ten initiatives from both the corporate and academic world were presented, with representatives from universities from all over Spain. In this regard, international examples and models were also presented by experts from Italy and Cuba.

Greencities is jointly organised by FYCMA (Malaga Trade Fair and Congress Centre) and the Malaga City Council and co-organised by the Multisector Association of Electronics, Information Technologies, Telecommunications and Digital Content Organisations (AMETIC). The Premium Partners involved in the forum were Extenda – the Agency for the Promotion of Andalusia Abroad (Andalusia Government Ministry of Presidency, Public Authorities and the Interior), the Malaga City Council Municipal Department of Urban Planning, Works and Infrastructure; Telefónica Empresas and the University of Malaga (UMA). In turn, Endesa and Kapsch were involved as Golden Partners. The Silver Partners involved were Cluster Smart City; Bigbelly; Bosch; the Government of Andalusia Ministry of Economy, Knowledge, Companies and Universities; the Provincial Council of Malaga, Emasa (Malaga Water Board); Itron; Limasa (Malaga Integrated Cleaning Services); NEC; Nedgia; Oracle; Quistor; Toyota Hybrid and Parcemasa. For more information visit www.greencitiesmalaga.com, in addition to the forum´s Facebook page and Twitter account at @forogreencities.