The Challenges of Smart Development in Future Iraqi Cities: Achieving Techno-Sustainability

Abstract

Many of the technological concepts of contemporary cities have expanded within smart development frameworks. Baghdad represents a global challenge that requires comprehensive changes at all levels to become a sustainable smart city. This study highlights the most important challenges facing contemporary cities in general and Baghdad city in particular in respect to creating techno-sustainability. In doing so, future cities will provide citizens with various lifestyles according to multiple development possibilities. Extant research suggests that technological cities actively deploy the latest technologies in order to ensure the best quality of life and facilitate access to all economic, social, and environmental levels. This model of technologies can be applied to Baghdad in a manner commensurate with the city’s social reality. Using the inductive analytical method, this study compare theories of smart development with the most important local challenges, thereby identifying areas of focus for achieving techno-sustainability in an Iraqi city. This study concludes that smart governance and smart movement followed by a digital learning platform and community participation are among the most influential factors for techno-sustainability. In turn, these factors strengthen research capacity and measure the turning points in the pathways of Iraqi cities.