SDG 11 — Sustainable Cities
What it is
Adopted by UN member states in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Goal 11 commits the world to making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. It sets specific targets on adequate housing and slum upgrading, accessible public transport, participatory planning, cultural-heritage protection and reduced disaster losses, each tracked by defined indicators. It sits alongside sixteen other goals but is the only one framed explicitly around cities. Reporting relies on national statistics and city-level data collection.
Why it matters
SDG 11 was the first time the international community set a measurable, time-bound global target dedicated specifically to cities. It gave municipalities and national governments a shared framework and metrics for housing, transport and resilience policy, embedding urban outcomes in mainstream development accounting.
Plans it shaped
- Montevideo POT (1998)
- Jerusalem 2000 Outline Plan (2000s)
- Abu Dhabi Estidama Pearl Communities (2010s–)
- Alexandria Strategic Urban Plan (2010s)
- Kigali City Master Plan (2013/2020)
- Leeds South Bank Regeneration Framework (2018)
- Athens Strategic Plan 2030 (2017)
- Shanghai Master Plan 2040 (2017)
- Guangzhou 2040 Plan (2017)
- Kazan 2035 Strategy (2017)
- Milan Scali Ferroviari (Farini, Romana, etc.) (2017–)
- Addis Ababa Structure Plan 2017–2027 (2017)