Embracing the Sustainable Development Goals in our Cities
As the world rapidly urbanizes, our cities have become the epicenter of economic, social, and environmental progress – or peril. By 2050, nearly 70% of the global population will call cities home, making them the battleground for realizing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Achieving these ambitious targets for ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring prosperity for all will rest squarely on the shoulders of our urban centers.
The SDGs, with their 17 interconnected goals and 169 associated targets, present a transformative blueprint for a sustainable future. At the heart of this agenda lies SDG 11: “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.” This goal recognizes the pivotal role cities play in driving progress across the entire 2030 Agenda. From ensuring access to clean water and sanitation (SDG 6) to promoting sustainable production and consumption patterns (SDG 12), the fate of the SDGs is inextricably linked to the decisions, investments, and actions taken within our urban centers.
“Cities are where the day-to-day economic and political decisions take place. The interaction between firms and cities is a critical relationship driving local, regional, and even global welfare.” – Professor Bo Bernard Nielsen, University of Sydney Business School
Unlocking the Potential of Cities
Cities are not merely passive backdrops for the SDGs – they are dynamic engines of change, where the interplay between business, government, and civil society can catalyze sustainable development. As noted by Professor Bo Bernard Nielsen from the University of Sydney Business School, “Businesses and cities evolve symbiotically.” The choices made by city administrators, from infrastructure investments to regulatory frameworks, directly shape the type of enterprises that thrive within their boundaries.
This symbiotic relationship presents an immense opportunity to align the interests of the private sector with the public good. By fostering an enabling environment for sustainable businesses, city leaders can attract innovative companies that prioritize environmental protection, social inclusion, and ethical practices. These forward-thinking firms, in turn, can drive local economic growth, create green jobs, and model sustainable behaviors for their communities.
“Through their decisions about what infrastructure (physical and digital) to provide, city administrators also have the power to determine what sort of business will want to locate there and exclude those who do not suit the local conditions.” – Professor Bo Bernard Nielsen, University of Sydney Business School
Redefining the Global City
The traditional notion of a “global city” is also undergoing a profound transformation. While mega-cities like Mumbai, Karachi, and Lagos continue to grow at a breakneck pace, not all of them possess the essential attributes to function as thriving international hubs. Instead, smaller, more sustainable cities like Copenhagen and Zurich have emerged as dynamic centers of innovation, attracting top talent and multinational enterprises.
These “global cities of the future” are defined not by their sheer size, but by their ability to provide the physical, digital, and social infrastructure that enables businesses to thrive while addressing pressing sustainability challenges. City administrators must engage in strategic foresight, imagining the evolving needs of multinational enterprises and aligning their policies and investments accordingly.
“City managers need to develop the skills to undertake scenario planning, imagining where they want to see their city in 10, 20 even 50 years’ time. They will also need to imagine what multinational businesses will look like across those same timelines and implement the social, financial, digital, and physical infrastructure to attract the type of businesses that will co-create the place they envision.” – Professor Bo Bernard Nielsen, University of Sydney Business School
Achieving the SDGs at the Local Level
While the SDGs are global in scope, their ultimate success hinges on implementation at the local level. Cities are not only the stage upon which the 2030 Agenda unfolds, but they are also the crucible where innovations, partnerships, and community-driven solutions are forged. As Professor Nielsen aptly states, “SDG 11 will impact everything in human experience. It will affect our living conditions, individual and communal health, who gets to live in poverty and who will enjoy affluence.”
From improving water and sanitation services (SDG 6) to promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns (SDG 12), the actions taken by city governments, businesses, and civil society organizations will determine whether the world achieves the SDGs by the 2030 deadline. This realization has spurred a growing network of global city leaders to make ambitious commitments, such as cutting their greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 (SDG 13).
“Implementing the targets across all the SDGs will happen at city-level not at the national layer. For example, a global network of 100 mayors from the world’s leading cities have committed to cutting their CO2 emissions in half by 2030.” – Professor Bo Bernard Nielsen, University of Sydney Business School
Community Engagement and Advocacy for Sustainable Cities
Realizing the SDGs in cities will require more than top-down policymaking and private sector investment. Genuine, inclusive participation from all members of the community is essential to ensuring that urban development is equitable, responsive, and truly sustainable.
Community engagement and advocacy can take many forms, from grassroots initiatives to collaborative partnerships. In the water and sanitation sector, for instance, civil society organizations have worked tirelessly to raise awareness, advocate for improved services, and empower marginalized communities to become active stakeholders in decision-making processes. By amplifying the voices of those most affected by water scarcity, pollution, and inadequate sanitation, these efforts have helped drive progress towards achieving SDG 6.
“Cities are where the day-to-day economic and political decisions take place. The interaction between firms and cities is a critical relationship driving local, regional, and even global welfare.” – Professor Bo Bernard Nielsen, University of Sydney Business School
Similarly, in the fight against climate change (SDG 13), community groups have rallied residents to adopt sustainable behaviors, hold local governments accountable, and champion nature-based solutions. These bottom-up movements, when combined with top-down policy changes and private sector commitments, create a powerful synergy that can transform cities into beacons of sustainability.
Conclusion: A Brighter Urban Future for All
As the global community races to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, our cities stand at the forefront of this transformative agenda. By harnessing the symbiotic relationship between business, government, and civil society, urban centers can become engines of sustainable progress – driving economic growth, fostering social inclusion, and safeguarding the environment.
The path forward will require bold vision, strategic foresight, and a profound commitment to community engagement and advocacy. City leaders must work to attract sustainable businesses, invest in resilient infrastructure, and empower their citizens to become active stewards of their shared urban ecosystems. Only by embracing the SDGs as a holistic, integrated framework can we unlock the full potential of our cities and create a brighter future for all.
To learn more about the University of Sydney Business School’s work on the Sustainable Development Goals, visit https://sbi.sydney.edu.au/resources/sustainable-development-goals/. For updates and insights on sustainable development, be sure to follow the Joint Action for Water blog.
