Sustainable Development Goal 9

Sustainable Development Goal 9 (SDG9, SDG 9 or Goal 9) is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals^[1] established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015.^[2] The SDG 9 is focused on attaining: Inclusive and sustainable industrialization, together with innovation and infrastructure, so as to unleash dynamic and competitive economic forces that generate employment and income.^[2] They play a key role in introducing and promoting new technologies, facilitating international trade and enabling the efficient use of resources. ^[2]

In order to have a successful community, a functioning and resilient infrastructure has to be in place as its basic requirement. The United Nations believes that: "Upgrading our industries and infrastructure will help to meet future challenges, by promoting innovative sustainable technologies and ensure equal and universal access to information and financial markets. This will bring prosperity, create jobs and make sure that we build stable and prosperous societies across the globe.^[3]

The United Nations believes: "Everyone can help to make sure that we meet the Global Goals." The followings are the eight targets to create action to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.^[4]

In 2019, 14 per cent of the world’s workers were employed in manufacturing activities, a figure that has not changed much since 2000. The share of manufacturing employment was the largest in Eastern and South-Eastern Asia (18 per cent) and the smallest in sub-Saharan Africa (6 per cent).^[5]

Global growth in manufacturing had already steadily declined even before the outbreak of Covid-19 Pandemic. The pandemic is hitting manufacturing industries hard and causing disruptions in global value chains and the supply of products.

There are many parts of the world that still lack access to mobile broadband networks (16%), and infrastructure places an outsized economic constraint on developing countries.The Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure SDG is designed to build a resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation across the globe.^[6] The key emphasis is on developing reliable and sustainable infrastructural solutions that support economic development as well as human well being, while also ensuring financial affordability.^[6]

Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and trans-border infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all.^[3][7]

The first Indicator 9.1.1 is the proportion of the rural population who live within 2 km of an all-season road.^[2]

The second Indicator 9.1.2 is Passenger and freight volumes, by mode of transport.^[2]

International air passenger numbers, railway passenger-kilometres and air freight ton-kilometres indicators by country are available.

As at 2020 the total official flows for economic infrastructure in developing countries reached $61 billion in 2018, an increase of 32.6 per cent in real terms from 2010.^[5] The main sectors assisted were transport ($22.8 billion) and energy ($20.3 billion).^[5]

Additionally, the number of researchers per 1 million inhabitants increased, from 1,018 in 2010 to 1,198 in 2017, ranging widely, from 3,707 in Europe and Northern America to only 99 in sub-Saharan Africa.^[5] In addition, women represented only 30 per cent of global researchers.^[5]

Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries.^[7]

The first Indicator 9.2.1 is manufacturing value added as a proportion of GDP and per capita.^[7]

This indicator measures the manufacturing sector's contribution to a country's total gross domestic product (GDP). Value added is the net output of a sector after adding up all outputs and subtracting intermediate inputs in manufacturing production.^[2]

The second Indicator 9.2.2 is manufacturing employment as a proportion of total employment.^[2]

This indicator measures the manufacturing sector's employment as a share of the country's total employment. Employment refers to all persons of working age who, during a specified brief period, were in paid employment (whether at work or with a job but not at work) or in self-employment (whether at work or with an enterprise but not at work).^[2]

Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets.^[3]

The first Indicator 9.3.1 is the proportion of small-scale industries in total industry value added.^[2]

Its second Indicator 9.3.2 is the proportion of small-scale industries with a loan or line of credit.^[7]

By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities.^[3]

Its Indicator 9.4.1 is CO2 emissions per unit of value added.^[8]

This indicator is a measure of carbon intensity; it reports the quantity of carbon dioxide emissions generated per unit of economic value (kilograms of CO2 emitted per dollar of GDP).

Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending.^[3]

Its first Indicator 9.5.1 is research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP.^[2]

This indicator measures expenditure on research and development (R&D) activities as a percentage of total gross domestic product (GDP) of a given country.^[2]

Expenditures for research and development are current and capital expenditures (both public and private) on creative work undertaken systematically to increase knowledge, including knowledge of humanity, culture, and society, and the use of knowledge for new applications. R&D covers basic research, applied research, and experimental development.^[2]

The second Indicator 9.5.2 is the number of researchers (in full-time equivalent) per million inhabitants.^[2]

Researchers in R&D are professionals engaged in the conception or creation of new knowledge, products, processes, methods, or systems and in the management of the projects concerned. Postgraduate PhD students engaged in R&D are included.^[2]

Facilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development in developing countries through enhanced financial, technological and technical support to African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States.^[3]

Its Indicator 9.A.1 is the total official international support (official development assistance plus other official flows) to infrastructure.^[2]

^[2]This indicator measures total official development assistance (ODA) from all donors to infrastructure, measured as 2015 a US$ received per recipient country.^[2]

Support domestic technology development, research and innovation in developing countries, including by ensuring a conducive policy environment for, inter alia, industrial diversification and value addition to commodities.

Its Indicator 9.B.1 is the proportion of medium and high-tech industry value added in total value added.^[2]

This indicator measures the share of a country's manufacturing value added which is derived from medium to high-tech industry outputs. Higher values indicate that a country's industrial sector is more focused on high-tech and innovation products.^[2]

Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020.^[3]

Its Indicator 9.C.1 is the proportion of population covered by a mobile network, by technology.^[2]

There are two technology types featured for this indicator: the number of mobile cellphone subscriptions (per 100 people), and the share of a given population using the internet (on any device).^[2]

High-level progress reports for all the SDGs are published in the form of reports by the United Nations Secretary General, the most recent one is from 28 April 2020.^[9]The report before that was from May 2019.^[10]

Total official flows for economic infrastructure in developing countries reached $61 billion in 2018, an increase of 32.6 per cent in real terms from 2010. The main sectors assisted were transport ($22.8 billion) and energy ($20.3 billion).^[5] Nearly the entire world population lives in an area covered by a mobile network.^[5] It is estimated that, in 2019, 96.5 per cent thereof was covered by at least a 2G network, with 81.8 per cent covered by at least a long-term evolution network.^[5] Besides, updates and progress can also be found on the SDG website that is managed by the United Nations.^[2]

SDG 9 like every other SDGs are interwoven with others. These partnerships and tools are indicative of the importance that organizations and governments are placing on, inter alia, innovation and digital connectivity, and on advancing the SDGs, particularly SDG 9.^[11] In addition, such partnerships are critical to ensure that the SDGs are implemented in all parts of the globe, especially in more vulnerable regional and countries, such as Africa and the LDCs.^[11]

• United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)
• United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
  

• List of SDGs targets and indicators

• Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform
  
• United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)

Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG11 or SDG 11 or Goal 11) is one of 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. The SDG 11 is about ensuring cities and human settlement inclusive are safe, resilient and sustainable.The 17 SDGs are unified recognising that action in one area will affect outcomes in other areas as well, and that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability.^[1]

The goal of SDG 11 is to create career and business opportunities, safe and affordable housing, and build resilient societies and economies. It also involves investment in public transport, creating green public spaces, and improving urban planning and management in participatory and inclusive ways.^[1]

In 2018, 4.2 billion people, 55 percent of the world’s population, lived in cities^[2] and by 2050, the urban population is expected to reach 6.5 billion. Sustainable development cannot be achieved without significantly transforming the way we build and manage our urban spaces.^[3] The world’s cities occupy just 3 per cent of the Earth’s land, but account for 60-80 per cent of energy consumption and 75 per cent of carbon emissions.^[4]

The Goal has targets to be achieved by the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and this are being measured with indicators.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17 global goals designed to be a "blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all". The Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice.^[5]

It is also known as the Global Goals and they were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.^[1]

Businesses, Governments at various levels, civil society organizations, and citizens are collectively engaged in pursuing ambitious objectives to make cities more competitive, safe, resource-efficient, resilient and inclusive.^[1]

Targets specify the goals and Indicators represent the metrics by which the world aims to track whether these Targets are achieved. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals are defined in a list of 169 SDG Targets. Progress towards these Targets is agreed to be tracked by 232 unique Indicators. The UN has defined 10 Targets and 15 Indicators for SDG 11. ^[6] Six of them are to be achieved by the year 2030 and one by the year 2020 and three has no target year. Each of the targets also has one or two indicators which will be used to measure progress.

The goals of these targets are to ensure that by 2030, countries are able to

1. Provide access for all to get adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services.
2. Provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all
3. Enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity
4. Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage
5. Significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected
6. Reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities
7. Provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces
8. Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas
9. By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plan.
10. Support least developed countries, including through financial and technical assistance, in building sustainable and resilient buildings utilizing local materials

The targets help in making the goals more specific while indicators represent the metrics by which the world aims to track whether these targets are achieved.

The first target of SDG 11 is Target 11.1 "By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums^[7]. It has one indicator: "11.1.1 It measures the proportion of the urban population living in slum households. This means that the indicator is working towards providing: access to improved water, access to improved sanitation, sufficient living area, and durability of housing among others.^[8]

In the world today, one in eight people live in slums, averaging one billion people living in slum conditions. Despite the great progress in improving slums and preventing their formation, which is represented by a decrease from 39 per cent to 30 per cent of the urban population currently living in slums, the population in developing countries still continues to grow and the slum challenge remains a critical factor for the persistence of poverty in the world. ^[9]

The second target of SDG 11 is 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. ^[10]

The Indicator for this target is Indicator 11.2.1 Proportion of population that has convenient access to public transport, by sex, age and persons with disabilities. ^[11]

The access to public transport is considered convenient when an officially recognized stop is accessible within a distance of 0.5 km from a reference point such as a home, school, work place, market, etc

This indicator aims to effectively monitor the use of and access to the public transportation system and the move towards easing the dependence on the private means of transportation, improving the access to areas with a high proportion of transport disadvantaged groups such as elderly citizens, physically challenged individuals, and low income earners or areas with specific dwelling types such as high occupancy buildings or public housing and reducing the need for mobility by decreasing the number of trips and the distances travelled.^[11]

Target 11.3 states that "By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries.

The target has two indicators:

Indicator 11.3.1 Ratio of land consumption rate to population growth rate. This indicator monitors the relationship between land consumption and population growth. It informs and enables decision-makers to track and manage urban growth at multiple scales and enhances their ability to promote land use efficiency. It also ensures that the SDGs address the wider dimensions of space and land adequately and provides the frame for the implementation of several other goals, notably health, food security, energy and climate change.^[11]

Indicator 11.3.2 is the "Proportion of cities with a direct participation structure of civil society in urban planning and management that operate regularly and democratically."^[12]

Target 11.4 aims to “strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.^[13] This SDG addresses the need for bigger efforts to protect the world’s cultural and natural heritage. However small, the 2030 Agenda still amounts to a step forward in the extent to which cultural aspects are considered and included in sustainable development agendas.^[14]

It has one Indicator "11.4.1 Total per capita expenditure on the preservation, protection and conservation of all cultural and natural heritage, by source of funding (public, private), type of heritage (cultural, natural) and level of government (national, regional, and local/municipal)." Heritage is an important economic driver and this indicator is part of global efforts to gauge the overall magnitude of investment in heritage.

Although it is not possible to measure the value of the world’s monuments and natural vistas in purely monetary terms, Indicator 11.4.1 can help us calculate how much countries invest in preserving the legacies of human culture and conserving their natural vistas.^[15]

By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations.

Indicators are:

• 11.5.1 Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population. Indicators measured here report mortality rates internally displaced persons, missing persons and total numbers affected by natural disasters. ^[12]

  

• 11.5.2 Direct economic loss in relation to global GDP, damage to critical infrastructure and number of disruptions to basic services, attributed to disasters. Direct economic losses from disasters are given at global and national levels in relative terms as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP). Direct economic losses measures the monetary value of total or partial destruction of physical assets existing in the affected area from natural disasters. ^[7]

Target 11.6 is formulated as “By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.”

The target has two indicators:

11.6.1 "Proportion of municipal solid waste collected and managed in controlled facilities out of total municipal waste generated, by cities"

This indicator is defined as the proportion of municipal solid waste collected and managed in controlled facilities out of total municipal solid waste generated, by cities.

Municipal Solid Waste is wastes generated by households, and wastes of a similar nature generated by commercial and industrial premises, by institutions such as schools, hospitals, care homes and prisons, and from public spaces such as streets, markets, slaughter houses, public toilets, bus stops, parks, and gardens.^[16]

Organic materials such as paper and paperboard, yard trimmings, and food waste continue to be the largest component of MSW. Paper and paperboard account for over 27 percent and yard trimmings and food waste accounts for another 28 percent. ^[17]

11.6.2 Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g. PM2.5 and PM10) in cities (population weighted)

PM2.5 and PM10 are minute particles present in the air and exposure to it is very harmful for health. When the level of these particles increases and penetrate deeply in to the lungs, you can experience number of health impacts like breathing problem, burning or sensation in the eyes etc^[18] Particulate matter (PM) in the air can enter the human body, affecting the cardiovascular system as well as other major organs. Chronic exposure leads to a number of health risks.^[19]

Target 11.7 is “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”

Public space interventions have the potential to contribute to progress across numerous Agenda 2030 goals and targets, not only SDG11 on Sustainable Cities. Governments and communities will need to choose strategies and interventions that have the greatest impacts across a number of goals and targets if they are to achieve success. ^[20]

The two indicators include:

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. Cities that improve and sustain the use of public space, including streets, enhance community cohesion, civic identity, and quality of life which is also a first step towards civic empowerment and greater access to institutional and political spaces^[21]

11.7.2 Proportion of persons victim of physical or sexual harassment, by sex, age, disability status and place of occurrence, in the previous 12 months.

Target 11.A is “Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning”.

It has one indicator: "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; and (c) increase local fiscal space

This indicator is one of the key metrics to benchmark and monitor urbanization and asserts the national leadership and political will of national governments. It is based on the notion that the development and implementation of national urban policies should support participation, partnership, cooperation and coordination of actors to facilitate dialogue. This indicator further provides a good barometer in global progress on sustainable urban policies. It serves as a gap analysis to support policy recommendations.^[22]

Target 11.B is “By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters, and develop and implement, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, holistic disaster risk management at all levels”

Unlike most SDGs which have a target year of 2030, this indicator is set to be achieved by 2020.^[7]

The two indicators include:

11.b.1 Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030

This indicator identifies countries who have and have not adopted and implemented disaster risk management strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.^[7]

11.b.2 Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies. ^[23]

Target 11.C is formulated as “Support least developed countries, including through financial and technical assistance, in building sustainable and resilient buildings utilizing local materials”.

Indicator 11.C.1 is the proportion of financial support to the least developed countries that is allocated to the construction and retrofitting of sustainable, resilient and resource-efficient buildings utilizing local materials.^[12]

An annual report is prepared by the Secretary-General of the United Nations evaluating the progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

The report on SDG 11 informs the 2018 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) thematic review.

The report highlights progress towards sustainable urbanization targets such as affordable housing, basic services, public transport for all, reducing air pollution and expanding public spaces.

The analysis of the interlinkages between SDG 11 and the rest of the Sustainable Development Goals has provided us with the importance of improved drainage and flood protection (target 9.1) combined with technology upgrade as crucial to reduce environmental impact of cities and strengthen the positive impact on health (target 3.9) of city dwellers, as well as improve cities resilience to natural and climate change induced disasters. Water-sensitive/resilient urban design would lead to a better water management including for storm water, groundwater and wastewater management and water supply, IWRM (target 6.5) applied in the urban context coupled with solid waste management (target 12.4) could prevent water related ecosystem to be contaminated by hazardous chemicals, and prevent pollution to marine and terrestrial ecosystem (target 14.3, target 15.3) originating from urban settlements. To achieve inclusive and sustainable urbanization, other aspects of the SDG framework need to be addressed as well. Because of population growth in cities, there is the need to facilitate safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people (target 10.7), since growing cities lead to increased waste production and emissions. For this reason, a change in production and consumption must also be achieved (targets 12.3, 12.4 and 12.5) to reduce and even prevent cities becoming vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters. Investing in technology research and innovation is important to achieve upgrades in infrastructures (targets 9.1, 9.2, 9.3 and 9.4) such as sustainable transport systems (target 11.2). Ensuring access to safe and affordable housing and basic services (target 11.1) can increase security and safety, improve access to adequate sanitation and clean drinking water (targets 6.1 and 6.2), reducing the impact of communicable diseases and maternal and children mortality (targets 3.2 and 3.3).^[24]

The UN and partners have developed and launched programmes and initiatives to make cities smarter and more sustainable, including the United for Smart Sustainable Cities Initiative (U4SSC) and a pilot project to monitor urban-environment related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) launched a guide to promote smart city management. These actions aim to contribute to SDG 11 (Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.^[25]