If you’re like most people, you live in a city. More than half the world’s population now lives in cities, and that figure will go to about two-thirds of humanity by the year 2050. Cities are getting bigger.
Rapid urbanization is resulting in a growing number of slum dwellers, inadequate and overburdened infrastructure and services (such as waste collection and water and sanitation systems, roads and transport), worsening air pollution and unplanned urban sprawl.
In 1990 there were ten “mega-cities” with 10 million inhabitants or more. The world is becoming increasingly urbanized. Since 2007, more than half the world’s population has been living in cities, and that share is projected to rise to 60 per cent by 2030. In 2014, there were 28 mega-cities, home to 453 million people. Incredible, huh? A lot of people love cities; they’re centers of culture and business and life.
Cities and metropolitan areas are powerhouses of economic growth—contributing about 60 per cent of global GDP. However, they also account for about 70 per cent of global carbon emissions and over 60 per cent of resource use.
The thing is, they’re also often centers of extreme poverty. To make cities sustainable for all, we can create good, affordable public housing. We can upgrade slum settlements. We can invest in public transport, create green spaces, and get a broader range of people involved in urban planning decisions. That way, we can keep the things we love about cities, and change the things we don’t.
Global Goal 11 will require a technological makeover. That’s why there’s Global Goal 11: Sustainable Cities, one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals that is fully concentrated on making the world’s cities sites of success. Information communications technologies are crucial to bring about this change.
Technologies can bring better health and transportation systems, improve livability, ensure there is clean water and clean air. From bringing internet access to the world’s classrooms, to cleaner energy sources in office buildings—technology can make a huge difference in how cities operate.
Better technologies, better systems, better designs...it’s what Global Goal 11 is all about.
Are you ready to work towards this goal? When do you want to start?
Kikao Cultures is inviting you to sign up here - glblctzn.co/e/bYTBwavqIwb