United Nations and World Bank Unite for Sustainable Urban Development

The United Nations agency for urban development, UN-Habitat, has announced a partnership with the World Bank to implement several Sustainable Development Goals focusing on urban sustainability, safety, inclusiveness, and resilience.

1 minute read

October 13, 2015, 12:00 PM PDT

By lwnagel


In light of the United Nations's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, policymakers and development experts are searching for ways to work towards equitable and sustainable development far into the 21st Century. One focus area, sustainable urban development, has found renewed support at the World Bank-IMF Annual Meetings in Lima, Peru. UN-Habitat—the United Nations agency on human settlements and urban development—announced on Saturday a partnership with the World Bank to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) identified as crucial to international development. The organizations will focus in particular on Goal 11, which targets city sustainability, inclusiveness, safety, and resilience.

According to UN-Habitat, cities are very important to international development. With challenges such as employment, housing, transport, and an estimated 70 percent of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, the agency is focusing on urban areas thanks in large part to the rapidly-increasing population of cities in the developing world.

With the COP21 Climate Summit at the end of November and the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development – Habitat III in 2016, UN-Habitat and the World Bank will have plenty of chances to work out the details of achieving the SDGs. Both agencies stress the need for public-private partnerships, and the potential for sustainable urbanization to have a "transformative" effect on global development.

Monday, October 12, 2015 in United Nations-Habitat

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Interior of Place Versailles mall in Montreal, Canada.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units

Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

May 22, 2025 - CBC

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 28, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

AI-generated image of high-speed rail trail in elevated track in green hilly farmland.

Four Reasons Urban Planners Can’t Ignore AI

It’s no longer a question of whether AI will shape planning, but how. That how is up to us.

May 28, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Aerial view of Bend, Oregon.

Bend, Deschutes County Move to Restrict Major Homeless Encampment

City and county officials are closing off portions of an area known as Juniper Ridge where many unhoused residents find shelter, hoping to direct people to housing and supportive services.

May 30 - The Bulletin

Metro rail station in Mariachi Plaza with colorful glass pavilion in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, California.

High Housing Costs Driving Down Transit Ridership in LA

When neighborhoods gentrify and displace lower-income residents, transit ridership suffers, new research shows.

May 30 - CALmatters

Des Moines, Iowa skyline viewed from a plaza with two flags on either side at dusk.

Iowa Legalizes Accessory Dwelling Units

A new law will allow property owners to build ADUs on single-family lots starting on July 1.

May 30 - Smart Cities Dive

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.