Overview

The UN's urban sustainability goal (#11) is fundamental to the global sustainable development agenda. David Simon explains the anatomy and dynamics of SDG 11, and critically assess how it is being used and understood in different local, regional and national contexts. Supported by case studies throughout, Simon considers how SDG 11 interacts with other Sustainability Development Goals and how competing indicators, other external constraints, as well as lack of political will can present tough challenges to implementation. He provides a balanced and dispassionate analysis, highlighting problems and limitations alongside positive applications. A key aspect of the unfolding story of the SDGs is how they play out in practice. Although some of the connections and complementarities were designed, others are shown to have emerged by default. Drawing on lessons learnt so far, Simon considers how realistic sustainability goals are for cities and human settlements worldwide, and asks how different will cities be by the end of the SDG's 15-year lifespan in 2030? Written for students, policy-makers and practitioners, the book provides an authoritative assessment of one of the most important and integrative SDGs.

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9781788214957

Table of Contents

Reviews

In this articulate and comprehensive account, David Simon provides a full history of the negotiations around the eleventh Sustainable Development Goal, on cities and human settlements. He traces the formal and informal processes that led to consensus and then explores the practical challenges of implementation, including the synergies and trade-offs between goal areas as they play out in urban environments the world over. Drawing upon careful procedural analysis he provides unique political insights on how negotiations are won or lost, whilst also providing practical insights, based on his own experience and comprehensive literature review, on how urban sustainability might be more robustly pursued now and in future. -- Jessica Espey, Lecturer in Global Development and Environment, University of Bristol and Senior Adviser, UNSDSN By 2030, we will not meet most SDG 11 targets without major shifts in urban policy and investments in local government. To rescue Agenda 2030, actions need to be taken now and at scale across cities and human settlements. This book reminds us of the origins and rationale of SDG 11 and offers global perspectives on implementation and monitoring challenges, as well as deep dives into what is happening in specific cities and contexts. The book discusses the conditions for effective SDG 11 implementation and brings out clearly the interrelationships between SDG 11 and other goals. It makes a clarion call for an intensified pursuit of SDG 11 implementation and monitoring, to help the world to come closer to the sustainable development targets. -- Raf Tuts, Director, Global Solutions Division, UN-Habitat David Simon’s authoritative and insightful account of the formation, implementation, and early progress on SDG 11 offers the first comprehensive overview of one of the newest areas of multi-lateral action, sustainable cities and communities. He makes legible the critical domain of global urban policy. For scholars, political leaders and practitioners, the book provides an essential platform for unified action – and critical self-reflection. -- Susan Parnell, Chair in Human Geography, University of Bristol

In this articulate and comprehensive account, David Simon provides a full history of the negotiations around the eleventh Sustainable Development Goal, on cities and human settlements. He traces the formal and informal processes that led to consensus and then explores the practical challenges of implementation, including the synergies and trade-offs between goal areas as they play out in urban environments the world over. Drawing upon careful procedural analysis he provides unique political insights on how negotiations are won or lost, whilst also providing practical insights, based on his own experience and comprehensive literature review, on how urban sustainability might be more robustly pursed now and in future. -- Jessica Espey, Lecturer in Global Development and Environment, University of Bristol and Senior Adviser, UNSDSN By 2030, we will not meet most SDG 11 targets without major shifts in urban policy and investments in local government. To rescue Agenda 2030, actions need to be taken now and at scale across cities and human settlements. This book reminds us of the origins and rationale of SDG 11 and offers global perspectives on implementation and monitoring challenges, as well as deep dives into what is happening in specific cities and contexts. The book discusses the conditions for effective SDG 11 implementation and brings out clearly the interrelationships between SDG 11 and other goals. It makes a clarion call for an intensified pursuit of SDG 11 implementation and monitoring, to help the world to come closer to the sustainable development targets. -- Raf Tuts, Director, Global Solutions Division, UN-Habitat David Simon’s authoritative and insightful account of the formation, implementation, and early progress on SDG 11 offers the first comprehensive overview of one of the newest areas of multi-lateral action, sustainable cities and communities. He makes legible the critical domain of global urban policy. For scholars, political leaders and practitioners, the book provides an essential platform for unified action – and critical self-reflection. -- Susan Parnell, Chair in Human Geography, University of Bristol

Author Information

David Simon is Professor of Development Geography at Royal Holloway, University of London. His recent books include Transdisciplinary Knowledge Coproduction: A Guide for Sustainable Cities (coeditor) (2021), Comparative Urban Research from Theory to Practice: Co-production for Sustainability (coeditor) (2020) and Key Thinkers on Development (editor) (2e, 2019).

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