Sustainable Cities

More than half the Global populations live in cities. By 2050, two-thirds of all humanity—6.5 billion people—will be urban. Sustainable development cannot be achieved without significantly transforming the way we build and manage our urban spaces. The rapid growth of cities—a result of rising populations and increasing migration—has led to a boom in mega-cities, especially in the developing world, and slums are becoming a more significant feature of urban life.

Making cities sustainable means creating career and business opportunities, safe and affordable housing, and building resilient societies and economies. It involves investment in public transport, creating green public spaces, sustainable waste management and improving urban planning and management in participatory and inclusive ways.

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) assists member states and stakeholders to achieve relevant SDGs on cities including SDG 11 (sustainable cities and human settlements) with specific focus on access to housing and basic services, sustainable transport system, sustainable urbanization, access to public spaces, sustainable buildings, per capita environmental impact of cities, and policies towards climate change, resource efficiency and disaster risk reduction. UNEP is promoting sustainable consumption and production practices across Asia and the Pacific to address inefficient resource-use patterns, and cities are the centerpiece where such issues need to be addressed. Since 80 per cent of the GDP come from its urban areas, the quality and efficiency of Asian and Pacific cities will determine the region’s long-term productivity and overall stability.

Sustainable Cities

Research Group Members -

Dr. Imam Hasan Reza

Shagufta Tazin

Publications -

Centre for Environment and Sustainability

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