Hamburg working with "The New Institute" on becoming digital city

Emphasis is on how cities can use data to become more democratic and sustainable. "Hamburg has an ambitious urban policy in the fields of data and sustainability," said Francesca Bria, Pogramme Director of The New Hanse, which continues Hamburg's tradition of urban co-operation, but with new means. "We want to develop democratic standards and blueprints for future data governance models and sharing urban data in the public interest." The results could then be tested and replicated in Hamburg and other German and European cities. Jan Pörksen, State Councillor and Head of the Senate Chancellery, stressed: "We are convinced that the practical findings from our city can provide important guidance for the future design of legislation at federal and EU level."

A declaration of intent has been signed between the city and the institute to launch the so-called Urban Data Challenge, which is the first joint project in the "new Hanseatic League". The challenge is now open to start-ups and SMEs looking for ways to make mobility data collected by private companies in public spaces available to the city and the people of Hamburg. Traffic flows away from motorised private transport such as those of cyclists, could thus be better analysed. Pörksen noted: "A digitalised world holds plenty of potential for managing data on mobility, climate protection or citizen participation in the public interest."

tn/pb