Arctic region and arctic cities VS sustainable region and smart cities

Abstract

Existing crises of arctic sustainable development and continuous increase of the VUKA world tendencies require urgent reconsidering economic and political models in the Arctic region, considering modern global trends, technological, political, socio-cultural conditions, and Russian national development goals. One of the key global trends is rapid urbanization and “smart cities” as a solution to the increasing problems of urban sustainable development. The level of urbanization in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation exceeds the average for the whole world. In this research, we focus on the problem of arctic sustainable “smart cities”. We analyzed existing approaches and concepts of “Smart City” and classified them into three main groups: system (complex) approach, technological approach, and socio-cultural approach. We showed different basic axiomatics and priorities in these approaches, which logically result in different social consequences. We suggested the socio-cultural approach as most relevant to the humanistic sense of developing smart cities and purposes of sustainable development. In particular, implying this approach in developing Arctic smart cities will allow using Arctic advantages and wealth for long-perspective human development and increasing the quality of life of Arctic people.