Goal 11 - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Our children's Art Challenge to accelerate the SDGs is ongoing!
Welcome to the 11th day of our challenge!
Our heroine today is Alice, she is not at all satisfied with the unsustainable state of her city which has been negatively affected by natural disasters and the consequences of past wars. She dreams of living in a more inclusive, resilient and sustainable city by 2030.
Our work targets children, youth and women around the world - the next generation of consumers and change-makers to show that sustainable living is easy, cool and fun!
We invite school-aged children to unleash their creativity and envision a sustainable future through their art. Together, let's paint a brighter tomorrow for our planet.”
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Goal 11 is about making cities and human settlements
inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
Cities represent the future of global living. The world’s population reached 8 billion on 2022 over half living in urban areas. This figure is only expected to rise, with 70 per cent of people expected to live in cities by 2050. Approximately 1.1 billion people currently live in slums or slum-like conditions in cities, with 2 billion more expected in the next 30 years.
However many of these cities are not ready for this rapid urbanisation, and it outpaces the development of housing, infrastructure and services, which led to a rise in slums or slum-like conditions.
Urban sprawl, air pollution and limited open public spaces persist in cities.
Good progress has been made since the implementation of the SDGs in 2015, and now the number of countries with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies has doubled. But issues still remain and in 2022, only half of the urban population had convenient access to public transport.
Sustainable development cannot be achieved without significantly transforming the way urban spaces are built and managed.
Why are cities not future proof yet?
Most of the urban growth is taking place in small cities and intermediate towns, exacerbating inequalities and urban poverty.
In 2020, an estimated 1.1 billion urban residents lived in slums or slum-like conditions, and over the next 30 years, an additional 2 billion people are expected to live in such settlements, mostly in developing countries.
What are some of the most pressing challenges cities are facing?
Inequality and the levels of urban energy consumption and pollution are some of the challenges. Cities occupy just 3 per cent of the Earth’s land, but account for 60-80 per cent of energy consumption and 75 per cent of carbon emissions.
Many cities are also more vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters due to their high concentration of people and location so building urban resilience is crucial to avoid human, social and economic losses.
How does it affect me?
All these issues will eventually affect every citizen. Inequality can lead to unrest and insecurity, pollution deteriorates everyone’s health and affects workers’ productivity and therefore the economy, and natural disasters have the potential to disrupt everyone’s lifestyles. Air pollution caused affecting the health of millions is not only an urban problem, but is also affecting towns and rural areas.
What happens if cities are just left to grow organically?
The cost of poorly planned urbanization can be seen in some of the huge slums, tangled traffic, greenhouse gas emissions and sprawling suburbs all over the world.
By choosing to act sustainably we choose to build cities where all citizens live a decent quality of life, and form a part of the city’s productive dynamic, creating shared prosperity and social stability without harming the environment.
Is it expensive to put sustainable practices in place?
The cost is minimal in comparison with the benefits. For example, there is a cost to creating a functional public transport network, but the benefits are huge in terms of economic activity, quality of life, the environment, and the overall success of a networked city.
What can I do to help achieve this goal?
Take an active interest in the governance and management of your city. Advocate for the kind of city you believe you need.
Develop a vision for your building, street, and neighbourhood, and act on that vision. Are there enough jobs? Can your children walk to school safely? Can you walk with your family at night? How far is the nearest public transport? What’s the air quality like? What are your shared public spaces like? The better the conditions you create in your community, the greater the effect on quality of life.
Good progress has been made since the implementation of the SDGs in 2015, and now the number of countries with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies has doubled. But issues still remain and in 2022, only half of the urban population had convenient access to public transport.
Sustainable development cannot be achieved without significantly transforming the way urban spaces are built and managed.
There is a strong link between the quality of life in cities and how cities draw on and manage the natural resources available to them. To date, the trend towards urbanization has been accompanied by increased pressure on the environment and accelerated demand for basic services, infrastructure, jobs, land, and affordable housing, particularly for the nearly 1 billion urban poor who live in informal settlements.
Due to their high concentration of people, infrastructures, housing and economic activities, cities are particularly vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters impacts. Building urban resilience is crucial to avoid human, social and economic losses while improving the sustainability of urbanization processes is needed to protect the environment and mitigate disaster risk and climate change.
Resource efficient cities combine greater productivity and innovation with lower costs and reduced environmental impacts, while providing increased opportunities for consumer choices and sustainable lifestyles.
Data and Statistics / Facts and Figures:
- The world’s cities occupy just 3 per cent of the Earth’s land, but account for 60-80 per cent of energy consumption and 75 per cent of carbon emissions.
Targets linked to the environment:
- Target 11.2: By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons
- Target 11.3: By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries
- Target 11.4: Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage
- Target 11.5: By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations
- Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management
- Target 11.7: By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities
- Target 11.a: Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, per-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning
- Target 11.b: By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters, and develop and implement, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, holistic disaster risk management at all levels
INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR DISASTER RISK REDUCTION, 13 OCTOBER | HEAVY TORRENTIAL RAINS CAUSES DEATHS, DESTROYS SCHOOLS, CHURCHES AND HOSPITALS IN ANGOLA
1. Webisode 1 - Preparation for COP 28| Children's Art Challenge to drive the SDGs | SDG 1 -
https://sofoniedala.blogspot.com/2023/11/preparation-for-cop-28-childrens-art.html
2. DAY 2 - Preparation for COP 28| Children's Art Challenge to drive the SDGs | SDG 2 - Webisode 2
https://sofoniedala.blogspot.com/2023/11/day-2-preparation-for-cop-28-childrens.html
3. DAY 3- Preparation for COP 28| Children's Art Challenge to drive the SDGs | SDG 3
https://sofoniedala.blogspot.com/2023/12/preparation-for-cop-28-childrens-art.html
4. DAY 4 - Children's Art Challenge to drive the SDGs | SDG 4 - Preparation for COP 28
https://sofoniedala.blogspot.com/2023/12/day-4-childrens-art-challenge-to-drive.html
5. DAY 5 - Children's Art Challenge to drive the SDGs | SDG 5 - Preparation for COP 28
https://sofoniedala.blogspot.com/2023/12/day-5-childrens-art-challenge-to-drive.html
6. DAY 6 - Children's Art Challenge to drive the SDGs | SDG 6 - Preparation for COP 28
https://sofoniedala.blogspot.com/2023/12/day-6-childrens-art-challenge-to-drive.html
7. DAY 7 - Children's Art Challenge to drive the SDGs | SDG 7 - Preparation for COP 28
https://sofoniedala.blogspot.com/2023/12/day-7-childrens-art-challenge-to-drive.html
8. DAY 8 - Children's Art Challenge to drive the SDGs | SDG 8 - Preparation for COP 28
https://sofoniedala.blogspot.com/2023/12/day-8-childrens-art-challenge-to-drive.html
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