Big decisions require high-level insights. Whether managing a pandemic, or rearranging national resources to help your society grow, having good data is a must. That is why the United Nations Committee of Experts on Big Data and Data Science for Official Statistics (UN CEBD) is launching five new handbooks for the use of mobile phone data in different statistical domains. The handbooks will be presented at Expo 2020 in Dubai on 26 January at the “Bringing Big Data and Data Science Close to Home” event.

Making cities more sustainable, liveable and inclusive is an urgent task as two thirds of the world’s population is expected to live in urban areas by 2030. We are living in the age of information and communication technology – every day we are generating and taking advantage of the big data available using navigation apps, shopping online or using transport and logistics services. What is more, countries and cities can make more informed decisions based on data. One great example is Estonia where cities strive to be smart not only in solutions but in the way of thinking. Estonia’s data-driven urban environments will be showcased at the Dubai Expo 2020 from 9 to 13 January.