11. Sustainable cities and communities
More than half of the world’s population now live in urban areas. By 2050, that figure will have risen to 6.5 billion people – two-thirds of all humanity. Extreme poverty is often concentrated in urban spaces, and national and city governments struggle to accommodate the rising population in these areas. Making cities safe and sustainable means ensuring access to safe and affordable housing, and upgrading slum settlements. Sustainable development cannot be achieved without significantly transforming the way we build and manage our urban spaces.
Read our stories to learn more about SDG Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities
SDG 11 Sustainable cities and communities is supported by ABB
News
This year’s record-breaking typhoon season in the Philippines – which saw six consecutive storm systems hit the country in under a month – was “supercharged” by climate change, according to a rapid attribution study.
Carbon & Climate
Drought in the Amazon: How the world’s nature is drying out
Drought and desertification is making human life on the planet harder to sustain. What can be done?
The number of new coal plants under development in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) region has reached record lows since the signing of the Paris Agreement in 2015.
Carbon & Climate
Who are climate migrants and what can the world do for them?
Climate migration is a growing issue driven by disasters and conflict.
Carbon & Climate
Southeast Asia’s environmental defenders on the frontline
Carbon & Climate
Sustainability innovations that made headlines in 2024
Policy & Finance
Developing countries' debt fears increase with new climate finance
Opinion
Policy & Finance
Need human rights research? Talk to the Global South
If a tea seller or a street vendor in Mumbai had drafted the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, they might have looked very different. The focus on Global North research in academia needs to shift.
Countries which govern half the world's territorial oceans have yet to integrate ocean-focused solutions into their nationally determined contributions, or NDCs, due for an update by February 2025.
Carbon & Climate
Making carbon trading work: Exploring collaboration between Japan and Asean countries
Asean's growing carbon trading initiatives present vast opportunities for emissions reduction and economic growth, but equitable frameworks and robust regulations are critical to their success.
Policy & Finance
‘No-Go’ mining zones can protect nature as renewable energy surges
Prohibiting mining in key areas can safeguard biodiversity and Indigenous rights in the energy transition.
Policy & Finance
Did COP29 fail women?
Videos
There is consensus that coal needs to be retired early in Asia, but the mechanisms for financing the phase-out are not clear. This mini-documentary examines how transition credits work and whether they can fund Southeast Asia's equitable switch to clean power.
EB Studio
From sponge cities to coastal forests, Asia is seeking ways to work with nature and prepare for the risks in a warmer-than-expected future. This Eco-Business video looks at what else cities need to do to strengthen climate resilience.
Exclusive
Jack Johnson says yes, but it is a long road ahead. In this exclusive interview, we ask the American singer-songwriter and UNEP Goodwill Ambassador about his hopes for the state of the world and how music plays a role in providing a dose of optimism in dark times.
Launched as policymakers lock horns with petrochemicals lobbyists over a treaty to end plastic pollution, the documentary produced by Eco-Business asks why opportunities to solve humanity's waste crisis are being wasted. It will premiere in Singapore and screen on the sidelines of the upcoming COP28 climate summit.
Podcasts
UN climate report authors need to commit to the integrity of assessment processes while working with governments with differing interests. Dr Theresa Wong tells the Eco-Business podcast why the stakes are high to get climate science right.
EB Studio
Plastic waste is flooding the planet. Instead of waiting for regulation to drive change, give value to recyclables and mobilise the people, says Plastic Bank.
EB Studio
With alternatives such as sustainable aviation fuel still too expensive and low in demand for the aviation industry to consider, carbon offsets could be a way to reduce emissions – if used right. EcoSecurities and the International Air Transport Association tell the Eco-Business podcast how airlines can ensure compliance when new regulations become mandatory
Green Buildings
Can a desert city be liveable? Dubai scales green spine concept as developers eye ‘eco-friendly’ projects in harsh climate
Eyes are on whether the city’s plan to build the world’s “greenest highway” will take off. The Eco-Business Podcast speaks to Marwa Nahlawi from Diamond Developers, the real estate developer behind Dubai's "Sustainable City" brand, which adopts a similar green spine concept.
