Smart city schooling
In the Liberal Studies Paper 2 of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE) this year, it excited me that out of the three questions, there was one about smart city development. Why? Being selected as an examination question means that “smart city" has become a topic of significance and great interest in Hong Kong.
The first global COVID-19 dashboard by the Johns Hopkins University (JHU) of the United States has received enthusiastic response around the world. The dashboard attracts an average of 1.2 billion views per day. It is an exemplar of the benefits of open data – and how quickly it can be deployed to good effect when the will is there. Hong Kong cannot use the COVID-19 crisis or other pettier considerations stand in its way to securing the obvious benefits of open data. 繼續閱讀
Almost all of Hong Kong’s foods are imported. More than half of rice is from Thailand, while Vietnam supplies 25%. As for pork, since the outbreak of African Swine Fever last year, Hong Kong has reduced the import of live pigs from the Mainland and has imported more frozen meat from Brazil, Thailand, Spain, the Netherlands, the United States, and France, etc.
As early as 2016, the Smart City Consortium (SCC) that I founded has submitted an advisory paper to the government, pointing out that one of the requirements for a smart city was that all information of the government and authorities be available in “digital by default". It enhances governance transparency and respects the public’s right to know. In early January, the SAR Government announced more than 650 new datasets will be released this year via the Public Sector Information Portal (data.gov.hk) for free viewing and use by the public. The move comes after more than 80 government bureaus and departments published their first annual open data plans last year. Such a move fulfills the commitment made by the chief executive in her Policy Address last year. It can also be seen as an important step toward “digital by default". 繼續閱讀
Though the fifth-generation of mobile service (5G) is expected to become popular only in mid to late 2030s when killer applications are introduced, the new technology is undoubtedly the future for the coming 10 to 20 years, given the unlimited potential in applications — from smart-home security to remote patient monitoring to autonomous vehicles.
Hong Kong is fortunate to benefit from infrastructure developed and managed by advanced technology entities and dedicated government departments. The Environmental Protection Department, for example, carries out air pollution analysis; the Observatory collects, studies and disseminates weather data; the Highways Department is responsible for roadworks; and the Transport Department takes care of traffic management. 繼續閱讀
