With the rise of global urbanization, cities encounter considerable socioeconomic and environmental challenges embodied in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Therefore, the crucial importance of urban planning cannot be underestimated in pursuing sustainable development. Among urban sustainability efforts, the smart city has emerged as a crucial paradigm for integrating innovation and sustainability to enhance urban living and achieve SDGs. The study aims to classify the Italian regional capital cities based on their progress in smart cities-related SDGs to understand the key implementation strategies, define the gaps between cities and identify priorities for action. For cluster analysis, 34 indicators related to SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) were considered. The main results reveal significant variability in performance across Italian cities, suggesting that they are at different stages of development in achieving SDGs 9 and 11. Northern Italian cities outperform their southern counterparts in industry, innovation and infrastructure. Larger cities often suffer from more serious and structural problems in urban sustainability. This study guides policy by pinpointing effective strategies and gaps across Italian cities, enhancing collaborative efforts and best practice sharing. It also informs SDG progress assessments, directing investments and prioritizing development needs, thus advancing smart city policies and urban sustainability.

中文翻译：

---

意大利的智慧城市政策进展如何？来自可持续发展目标指标的见解


随着全球城市化进程的兴起，城市面临着巨大的社会经济和环境挑战，这些挑战体现在联合国 2030 年可持续发展议程的 17 个可持续发展目标 （SDG） 中。因此，在追求可持续发展方面，城市规划的重要性不容低估。在城市可持续发展的努力中，智慧城市已成为将创新和可持续性相结合以改善城市生活和实现可持续发展目标的重要范式。该研究旨在根据意大利地区首府城市在智慧城市相关可持续发展目标方面的进展情况对它们进行分类，以了解关键的实施策略，确定城市之间的差距并确定行动的优先事项。在集群分析中，考虑了与可持续发展目标 9（工业、创新和基础设施）和可持续发展目标 11（可持续城市和社区）相关的 34 项指标。主要结果显示，意大利城市的表现存在显著差异，表明它们在实现可持续发展目标 9 和 11 方面处于不同的发展阶段。意大利北部城市在工业、创新和基础设施方面的表现优于南部城市。大城市往往在城市可持续性方面面临更严重的结构性问题。本研究通过确定意大利城市之间的有效策略和差距、加强协作努力和最佳实践分享来指导政策。它还为可持续发展目标进展评估提供信息，指导投资并确定发展需求的优先次序，从而推进智慧城市政策和城市可持续性。