(by Vito Coviello) Ripartenza is today the most used noun in this phase.
It is the antonym for interruption, suspension and, therefore, after covid-19 is the word that instills hope.
Hope to start a new phase of more inclusive growth, more attentive to the exploitation of the resources of the planet earth.
You can start with multiple economic and political strategies but if you want to learn from a terrible pandemic, then you should start with a "New, green and digital economy".
We must plan the recovery with an approach of "digital sustainability", that is, favoring the technologies that help us build a better society by placing respect for the planet that hosts us at the center.
We all have our best vision of the world that we would like and so the suggestion is to try to propose:
- Two good growth opportunities not to be wasted in the digital world;
- Two good reasons to review some habits in the use of digital technology.
If we launched a survey we would probably find that there are many priorities, but also many bad habits in the use of digital technology.
My 2 priorities and growth opportunities are:
- Mobility in metropolitan areas
There are many initiatives underway to improve the mobility service in metropolitan areas. It is necessary to proceed with the creation of real smart cities with fixed financing and deadlines: this is a need that can no longer be postponed.
I am referring above all to the need to intervene in local public transport in order not to make the use of the car indispensable.
Projects for the most disadvantaged areas and segments of the population are also indispensable.
In summary, more digital technology applied to transport and social services to have greener cities where digital innovation must support social innovation.
The restart is a unique opportunity but only if the available funds are also made available to improve our quality of life, not only to produce more and sometimes even unnecessary products. Yes to greater growth, including economic growth, but towards goods and services that improve our living conditions and, above all, respect the ecosystem.
- Green and digital transport
Le metropolitan areas and the commuter transport system for mobility must offer a service that is integrated into the travel solutions but, above all, punctual and easily accessible.
Il MaaS: (Mobility as a Service) is an integrated transport system between the different operators that must ensure a smarter daily travel experience: punctuality, travel simplification with rates that apply the "Best fare" at the end of the day and require travelers to do only check-in Check-out when they get on the different means of transport that they have to take to travel.
Railway lines at high speed on the entire national network, to reduce travel times and contribute to the reduction of pollution levels: for all of us Italians but, above all, for the growth of tourism.
Smart roads, digital at the service of the road transport system to make journeys safer with more efficient traffic management where connected and automated vehicles are assisted in their travel experience by support digital technologies (signs, sensors, ..). Car manufacturers and managers of the road and motorway system who create the standards for the real smart roads of the future. Smart roads are being tested, the challenge is to implement them quickly and throughout the territory.
There is no future if we do not make our cities greener and liveable, if we do not improve the mobility system by reducing pollution levels, if we do not reduce our current level of exploitation of the resources of the planet earth.
My 2 good reasons to intervene regarding bad habits in the use of digital technology, however, concern:
- Always be connected yes, but in a balanced way
It is necessary to be aware that it is true that the "virtual" is opposed to everything that is physical but not to what is "real", but a balanced use must be made of it. Smartphone, social, web, ours is a world of constantly connected people: digital technology has revolutionized our way of life, but the balance lies in the awareness that the "virtual" is a huge resource but that it cannot / should not replace all that is "physical";
- In internet governance, rules must be imposed to protect the natural person by carefully defining areas and controls with regard to legal entities that are increasingly moving their commercial activities on the web.
Vito Coviello - AIDR member, Head of the Digital Technologies Observatory in the transport and logistics sector