Georges River Council has joined a network of global cities to work on solutions to challenges brought about by urbanisation.
City Possible is described as a worldwide community of leaders from cities, businesses, communities and academia, united with the common goal of building more inclusive, sustainable and connected cities.
Established by Mastercard, City Possible is a new model of partnership that brings the public and private sectors together to collaborate and co-develop solutions for challenges relating to urbanisation.
Georges River Council Kevin Greene said the partnership means the council is joining the likes of Dublin, Athens, Helsinki and Prague Councils, among others, in a global network that will provide a platform for information exchange," he said.
"Cities all over the world are experiencing similar issues, including congestion, ageing infrastructure and rapid urbanisation and City Possible will facilitate collaboration on sustainable solutions for these issues," Councillor Greene said.
"More than 70 per cent of the world's population is forecast to live in urban areas by 2050 and it is essential that cities engage in smart, innovative planning to ensure this growth is managed effectively.
"The network will allow Cities to co-create, test and pilot pioneering solutions that can be scaled at large."
Council has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Mastercard on the City Possible partnership, which will focus initially on thought leadership and creating blueprints for smart cities.
Miguel Gamio Jr, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Cities, Mastercard said the City Possible initiative is bringing together a growing number of partners across the globe to identify, prioritise and address urban challenges such as transportation, economic development, and financial inclusion.
"Mastercard is delighted to welcome Georges River Council to the global City Possible network, where it joins an increasing number of organisations from the Greater Sydney region who are already harnessing the power of public-private collaboration to build more inclusive and sustainable communities."
Mastercard is working with more than 100 international cities, including Sydney, London, Singapore and Vancouver. Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Liverpool, Melbourne and Wollondilly Councils are also members of the City Possible initiative.
