57 percent of the world’s population lives in cities. This demonstrates how cities are significant centers of human activity while simultaneously facing diverse challenges. For instance, cities are responsible for 70 percent of CO2 emissions, and their growing populations exacerbate inequalities. Often, marginalized groups are particularly affected by pollution, unequal access to urban infrastructure, and urban poverty. As a response, SDG 11 aims to create sustainable and inclusive cities for all. Additionally, 60 percent of the SDGs are directly related to urban areas.
The Urban Environment and Social Inclusion Index (UESI) analyzes the progress of SDG 11 by examining the environmental performance and equity of nearly 300 cities worldwide. The current index presents a mixed picture: many cities have achieved to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, or increase access to public transportation. Still many cities continue to struggle with persistent challenges like air pollution, lack of green spaces, and urban heat islands. In nearly half of the cities studied, these burdens are unevenly distributed: for example, less affluent communities are often more exposed to nitrogen dioxide pollution.
The multi-stakeholder partnership (MSP) Cities Alliance addresses these issues. It is a global partnership of multilateral organizations, national governments, and civil society that supports cities in achieving sustainable development. The Cities Alliance focuses on human rights, climate change, gender equality, migration, and informality, promoting the rights of the urban population living in poverty. To this end, the MSP promotes long-term approaches that support national and local governments to develop appropriate policy frameworks, strengthen local skills and capacities, conduct strategic urban planning, and facilitate investments.
The MSP-approach is very promising when aiming to leverage the transformative potential in cities. In the words of Maria Fernanda Espinosa, President of the Cities Alliance: “Cities have the unique capacity to bring together diverse stakeholders—governments, the private sector, academia, civil society, and youth—to collaborate on global challenges. By mobilizing these actors, they can demonstrate that multilateralism works at the local level and that collective action leads to meaningful change.”