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Rapid advances in technology are transforming the world as we know it, and offering new solutions to old problems. One major shared goal for the international community is protecting the environment while creating a stable economy for the future. The Paris Agreement on climate change establishes clear targets for 2050, with a long-term goal of keeping the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels. These might look ambitious, but international resolve has only strengthened following the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw from the agreement1. It might be an uphill effort to meet these goals by the mid-century, but the rise of big data offers hope. Data can provide governments, cities and countries with intelligence that will enable them to understand and modify their own energy and water usage. In time, this data could guide communities to meeting environmental goals – but converting this potential into success rests on the data being accurate and harnessed effectively. The rise of smart cities offers governments the opportunity to take a holistic view of how and where energy is being expended and water is being consumed. Take lighting as an example – outdoor lighting consumes 19 per cent of global energy use2. Smart lighting solutions can help reduce this through enabling more variables to be considered before outdoor lighting is utilized. Vehicle and pedestrian traffic might indicate that lighting may not be necessary throughout the day, whereas poor weather conditions might mean brighter lighting is needed. The time of year will change the length of time overnight lighting is needed, and safety issues might mean it is necessary to ensure a particular area is brightly lit. In the same vein, smart meters RANDOLPH WHEATLEY, VP COMMUNICATIONS SOLUTIONS, SENSUS – A XYLEM BRAND HARNESS YOUR DATA FOR A CLEANER FUTURE“THE RISE OF SMART CITIES OFFERS GOVERNMENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A HOLISTIC VIEW OF HOW AND WHERE ENERGY IS BEING EXPENDED AND WATER IS BEING CONSUMED”108 INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY