So what are goals 11 and 12?

Our July focus is SDG11 and SDG12 - learn more about theme here (and meet their corresponding SDG Squad members!:

Super thanks to Annie for creating these amazing infographics!

How can sustainable cities help us all? Ashleigh.

Sustainable cities and communities is goal 11 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Let’s have a brief look at what it’s all about…

Making our cities more sustainable is incredibly important with so many people living in cities – as of 2008, more people live in urban areas than rural areas, a first for human history. It is estimated that two thirds of all people will be living in urban areas by 2050. That’s a lot of people! With so many people living in cities, it makes sense for them to be a focus for addressing climate change.

Reducing a city’s greenhouse gas emissions, thereby reducing the city’s contribution to climate change, should be a key part of any strategy to make a city more sustainable. Cities are a huge area to tackle for emissions reductions, as they are responsible for more than 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions. One crucial way to do this is to reduce energy consumption, and increase the amount of renewable energy being used to power a city.

There is exciting work happening across the world to make cities of all shapes and sizes more sustainable. The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy is a global initiative of cities and local governments to address climate change. More than 7,000 cities from 119 countries are part of the initiative. The Covenant notes that cities can innovate faster than countries, and are less tied down by national and global politics. The Covenant allows cities to share and compare data on climate and energy, and allows for increased collaboration.

The UN targets for making a city sustainable include sustainable transport systems, improved air quality and waste management, and access to green spaces. The UN Guiding Principles for City Climate Action Planning states that city climate action planning should be ambitious, inclusive, fair, comprehensive & integrated, relevant, actionable, evidence-based, and transparent and verifiable. The Guiding Principles are flexible, and intended to help cities on their sustainability journey. They do not set out strict actions local governments must undertake.

There is no one right way to make a city more sustainable. Some cities chose to work with nature, such as protecting coastal ecosystems, while others look to ‘climate-proof’ by building water treatment plants and moving energy production facilities away from areas that could be impacted by climate change. In developing cities, strategies might include early warning systems, upgrading slums, relocating people away from areas vulnerable to climate-induced impacts.

Taking action against climate change also has other benefits for the population of a city – like designing transport for people instead of cars, which improves public health. Sustainable cities are also about creating cities that are prepared for the changes climate change will bring. City planners for Copenhagen, Denmark, have made sure that their city is prepared for the projected increased rainfall and rising sea levels by designing convex streets to channel water and water storage areas.

That gives you a good start to find out more about sustainable cities! Is your city working to be sustainable? What ideas do you have to make you city more sustainable? Share your thoughts and more interesting information with us in the comments.  

World Population Day

This month we celebrate WORLD POPULATION DAY!

Thanks to Annie for these infographics.