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SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable
SDG Goal

SDG 11 aims to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. Rapid urbanization presents challenges such as inadequate housing, congestion, pollution, and insufficient public services, impacting urban life quality.

How engineering can make it happen

Civil, structural, electrical, mechanical, environmental, software, and telecommunications engineers are contributing to safe, inclusive, and resilient cities, facilitating access to affordable housing and public transport, clean air, water, and energy, as well as the protection of natural and cultural heritage assets and greater resilience against natural disasters. Advanced engineering technologies are used in energy- and resource-efficient buildings, smart city lighting, efficient transportation systems, renewable energy sources, integrated water resource management, geospatial engineering, Building Information Modelling, and data analytics, making cities more liveable and sustainable.

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Film courtesy of the Royal Academy of Engineers

Global progress

  • With rapid urbanization and now over half the world’s population living in cities, housing affordability has reached crisis levels. Up to 3 billion people worldwide struggle to afford a place to live, and 1.12 billion live in slums or informal settlements without basic services.
  • Climate threats intensify urban vulnerabilities. Cities are central to climate change efforts as urban populations grow, with rising temperatures and flood risks threatening billions. Open green spaces are disappearing, undermining climate resilience.
  • Only 19% of cities across 50 countries demonstrate strong civil society participation in urban planning, threatening equity and effective service delivery, particularly for marginalized groups.
  • Creating safe, resilient, and sustainable cities requires coordinated investments in affordable housing, climate-resilient infrastructure, and inclusive governance. Cities must strengthen land access, improve transportation, and expand financing while prioritizing green-space restoration and climate-smart planning in underserved areas. This integrated approach – combining infrastructure, financing, and participatory governance – is essential for inclusive cities that leave no one behind.

Source: https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/

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