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lowing issues: how do we maintain air quality, how do we manage water when most of these cities are located in a valley or a delta, how do you ensure sufficient sustainably generated energy, and how do you guarantee good accessibility?” “Dutch advice has always been sought when it comes to a Delta Plan (national plan against flooding) for the water management and deve lopment of the agricultural sector, because all those mouths have to be fed. Traditionally, the Netherlands has been very strong in these two fields. Technology is now increasingly being added as a third expertise.”

major challenges for city authorities. “When you drive through Ho Chi Minh City, you’re surrounded by 500,000 scooters. If you consider that 20 percent of them will soon be replaced by cars, the status symbol of prosperity, then you can sense what kind of problems this is going to cause.” Eindhoven International Project Office When Peter Portheine speaks, he speaks from experience since EIPO has an office in the Viet namese city of almost 10 million residents. EIPO stands for ‘Eindhoven International Project Office’, of which Portheine is the co-founder and director. The organisation advises on urban and economic development worldwide, with the

How should you deal with growth as a city? When it comes to growth, the Netherlands is an export country. It has smart districts as a new area of expertise, recommended by Brainport Eindhoven and represented by Peter Portheine.

director himself specialising in smart cities and the circular economy. Having an organisation based in a city of 240,000 residents located in a country with 17 million inhabitants advise megacities on how to deal with growth is quite special. Smart village Portheine explains that there is a nuance to this. Amsterdam is known worldwide for its integra ted approach to urban development. But from an international perspective, the Netherlands as a whole is seen as one smart city. However, the Dutch involvement in megacity growth issues is based on something else, says Portheine. “In general, megacities raise the fol

By Edwin Nunnink Photos: Thomas Fasting

'Smart neighbourhoods

The demand is great. According to the United Nations, in 2050, nearly 70 percent of the wor ld’s population will live in urban areas. It is the continuous migration from the countryside that keeps megacities such as Mexico City, Jakarta and Ho Chi Minh City shrinking and expanding. All those people looking for a higher standard of living in the city or, better yet, more income are

Brainport ecosystem When people think of Dutch technology, they

should serve all city residents'

'Technology is now increasingly being added as Netherlands third expertise'

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