UN-Habitat is the custodian agency for SDG 11. As the custodian agency, UN-Habitat is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities and communities. As such, it helps countries access reliable data and information on urban conditions and trends as well as efficiently monitor and report on global agendas such as the 2030 Agenda and the New Urban Agenda.
UN-Habitat develops tools and approaches such as the urban observatory model, the City Prosperity Initiative, and the national sample of cities approach. It also builds the capacities of national and local governments, establishes local, regional, and global urban monitoring mechanisms, and supports urban data collection, analysis, and dissemination.
The pandemic has caused major shifts in migration patterns, including huge movements of people in and out of urban areas. Furthermore, climate change and conflicts tend to have disproportionate impacts on cities. These factors mean that the world is far from achieving the goal of sustainable cities. In many developing countries, slum populations have been growing, putting at risk the target of adequate housing for all by 2030. Since 2015, the number of countries with national disaster risk reduction strategies has more than doubled. To achieve SDG 11, efforts must focus on strengthening capacities for planning for urban development, improving access to public transportation and enhancing waste management.
As of 2022, nearly 1.1 billion people lived in slums or slum-like conditions in urban areas, with an additional 2 billion expected to live in slums or slum-like conditions over the next 30 years. The growing number of slum population is a manifestation of the housing crisis, a situation in many instances that has now been exacerbated by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to 2022 data from 1507 cities in 126 countries, only 51.6% of the world’s urban population has convenient access to public transport, with considerable variations across regions.
According to data compiled from 815 cities for the period 1990 – 2020, the physical expansion of cities globally was faster than the rates of population growth. For the 2000-2010 period, the average annual land consumption rate was 2.0%, while the population growth rate averaged 1.4%. These rates declined to 1.5% and 0.6% respectively for the period 2010-2020.
Data for 2020 from 1,072 cities in 120 countries indicate that more than three-quarters of these cities have less than 20% of their area dedicated to open public spaces and streets, about half of the proportion recommended. On average, open public spaces account for a meagre 3.2% of urban land, about 4 times less than the share of land in streets.
Discover how UN-Habitat Lao PDR aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 11 through various interventions on our website.
UN-Habitat contributes to SDG 11 through our projects and through Indicators 11.1.1, 11.2.1, 11.3.2, 11.7.1, and 11.a.1 of Targets 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.7, and 11.a:
TARGET 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums
Indicator 11.1.1: Proportion of urban population living in slums, informal settlements or inadequate
housing
TARGET 11.2: By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons
Indicator 11.2.1: Proportion of the population that has convenient access to public transport by sex, age and persons with disabilities
TARGET 11.3: By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries.
Indicator 11.3.2: Proportion of cities with a direct participation structure of civil society in urban planning and management that operate regularly and democratically.
TARGET 11.7: By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities
Indicator 11.7.1: Average share of the built-up area of cities that is open space for public use for all, by sex, age and persons with disabilities
TARGET 11.a: Support positive economic, social, and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning
Indicator 11.a.1: Number of countries that have national urban policies or regional development plans that: (a) respond to population dynamics, (b) ensure balanced territorial development, (c) increase local fiscal space
