Nairobi, 9 July 2018—UN-Habitat and partners have published a new report called the SDG 11 synthesis report outlining the international community’s progress towards the so called ‘urban goal’ and the challenges faced.

The report’s publication coincides with the first discussion at the annual High Level Political Forum in New York of SDG 11, which aims to make all cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. There are 15 indicators, with UN-Habitat responsible for 9 of them, ranging from providing affordable housing, basic services and public transport for all to reducing air pollution and expanding public spaces.

In her introduction to the SDG 11 synthesis report, UN-Habitat’s Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif says: “The global challenges and opportunities for sustainable development are intimately interlinked, and this Report puts special emphasis on the value-added of sustainable urbanization as an enabler for achieving global prosperity and sustainability.”

A large number of the SDG targets have a direct connection to urbanization. For example other SDGs focus on water and sanitation, on affordable and sustainable energy and on the environment.

The report looks at a number of key developments relating to prevalence of slums in cities, to open spaces, public transport, air pollution, citizen participation and policies. It also examines the challenges of developing baselines and methodologies for several of the indicators which are basically being measured for the first time.