Cities

Cities

Urbanization is set to rise from 54 percent in 2015 to 66 percent in 2050, the global urban population is likely to grow by 2.4 billion people (UNDESA 2014, IRP, 2018). However, urbanization can pose significant challenges to our environmental and social well-being. Cities account for 60-80 per cent of energy consumption and a roughly equal share of carbon emissions. Rapid urbanization, combined with increased energy demands, is placing increased pressure on freshwater supplies, sewage systems, and public health, while urban sprawl can lead to social isolation.

Green cities address many of these challenges, creating economic, social and environmental benefits as they do so. Relatively high densities are a central feature of green cities, bringing efficiency gains and technological innovation through the proximity of economic activities, while reducing pollution and resource consumption. Additional environmental benefits come from improving ecosystems within urban areas. Socially, the benefits include employment creation, poverty reduction, improved public health and higher quality of life through road safety, increased accessibility, and social cohesion.

Relevance to the SDGs

Sustainable urban space is embodied in Sustainable Development Goal 11. It calls for a reduction in a city’s ecological footprint, an improvement in transport accessibility, and enhanced resilience against climate change impacts.

 

SDG 11.6
Sustainable Cities
      SDG 11.b   
   Resilient Cities   

Cities account for more than half the global population and around 80% of GDP and are therefore crucial to the transition to a low-carbon economy. They present an opportunity to scale up investment in sustainable urban solutions through the development of innovative business models, as cities often act as test-pilots for new technology. Key sustainability issues for cities include inefficient buildings, traffic congestion, inadequate urban infrastructure and a lack of basic services, such as water supply, sanitation, and waste management.

In order to bridge the gap between the demand for infrastructure and the ability of sub-national authorities to deliver public services, private financing will be vital. Local governments are often facing restricted funds for developing bankable projects, limited financing instruments and mechanisms and a lack of creditworthiness. Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) are playing an important role in addressing those challenges by bringing local governments to the point of being able to access capital markets by building capacity through technical assistance.

Research

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