Goal 11 is about making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. Today, more than half the world’s population live in cities. By 2050, an estimated 7 out of 10 people will likely live in urban areas. Cities are drivers of economic growth and contribute more than 80 per cent of global GDP.

However, they also account for more than 70 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. If well-planned and managed, urban development can be sustainable and can generate inclusive prosperity. The deep inequalities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and other cascading crises highlight the importance of sustainable urban development. Strengthening the preparedness and resilience of cities is crucial in responding to future crises.

 

Facts and Figures  | Goal 11 Target | Links

 In 2020, more than 1 billion people lived in slums or informal settlements, with Central and Southern Asia, Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa accounting for 85 per cent of them.

1 per cent increase in urban population growth will increase the incidence of slums by 2.3 per cent and 5.3 per cent in Africa and Asia, respectively.

In 2019, ambient air pollution from traffic, industry, power generation, waste burning and residential fuel combustion resulted in 4.2 million deaths.

Over 6,000 cities in 117 countries are now monitoring air quality, double the number since 2015.

In 2021, 99 per cent of the world’s urban population live in areas that exceed the new air quality guidelines set by the World Health Organization (WHO).

People in low- and middle-income countries are disproportionately affected by outdoor air pollution, accounting for 91 per cent of the 4.2 million premature deaths.

Between 2015 and 2030, annual passenger traffic globally is projected to increase by 50 per cent, and the number of cars on the road is likely to double.

According to 2020 data from 1,510 cities around the world, only about 37 per cent of urban areas are served by public transport.

In 2022, an average of 82 per cent of municipal solid waste globally was being collected and 55 per cent was being managed in controlled facilities.

Between 2015 and 2021, the number of countries reporting the existence of local disaster risk reduction strategies nearly doubled, from 51 to 98.

The average share of local governments that have adopted such strategies increased from 51 per cent in 2015 to 66 per cent in 2021

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