SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Monitoring Human Settlements Indicators

A SHORT GUIDE TO HUMAN SETTLEMENTS

INDICATORS GOAL 11+
 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
Monitoring Human Settlements Indicators

A SHORT GUIDE TO HUMAN SETTLEMENTS INDICATORS GOAL 11+

CITIES AND COMMUNITIES IN THE 2030
AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 11 5
Make Cities and Human Settlements Inclusive, Safe, Resilient and Sustainable

AT THE CORE OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT;

DEDICATED GOAL ON CITIES AND HUMAN
SETTLEMENTS

Today, more than half the world’s population lives in cities. By 2030, it is to grow and flourish. The future we want includes cities that have opportunities
projected that 6 in 10 people will be urban dwellers. By 2050, the figure will for all, with access to basic services, energy, housing, transportation and more.
have risen to 6.5 billion people; representing two-thirds of all civilization. With an increasingly urbanized world, this requires the attention of both local
Taking into account the increasing rural to urban migration and the rapid regional and national governments to work towards achieving these goals.
growth of cities in the developing world, it is clear that cities face a myriad of
problems that may hinder planned growth and development. Despite numerous Cities are hubs for ideas, commerce, culture, science, productivity, social
planning challenges, it is from these cities, that benefits of economies of scale are development and much more. At their best, cities have enabled people to
realized leading to proper provision of goods and services all of which eventually advance socially and economically through creation of jobs and providing
become inclusive. With sound planning and management, cities can transform opportunities. However, many challenges exist when trying to maintain cities
into incubation centres for innovation and growth, and drivers of sustainable in a way that they continue to create jobs and prosperity while not straining
development. land and resources. The challenges cities face need to be overcome in ways that
allow them to continue to thrive and grow, while improving resource use and
The rapidly increasing dominance of urban areas ensures that the process of reducing pollution and levels of poverty. Given the strong transformative effects
urbanization is among the most significant global trends of the 21st century. of urbanization and the vitality of cities, a stand-alone and dedicated urban
Urbanization is not only a demographic or spatial phenomenon but a force sustainable development goal was established. In September 2015, the United
which if steered and deployed correctly can help the world to overcome some Nations Sustainable Development Summit adopted a new framework to guide
of its major global challenges including poverty, inequality, environmental development efforts between 2015 and 2030, entitled “Transforming our world:
degradation, climate change, fragility and conflict, which are all critical elements the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development”. The 2030 Agenda includes
of the 2030 agenda. Proportional increases in the urban population and the a dedicated goal on human settlements (SDG 11) that sets out to make cities
spatial expansion of cities has other important social, behavioural, political, inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. By endorsing a stand-alone goal on cities
economic and environmental dimensions. Urban life influences consumption (Goal 11), known as the ‘urban SDG’, the international community recognized
and production patterns, as well as levels and rates of urban socio-economic urbanization and city growth as a transformative force for development. SDG 11
activities, growth and development. expands the focus of MDGs’ emphasis on basic services and slum reduction to
cover a broader aspect of provision of basic services. SDG 11 not only has strong
Sustainable development seeks to combine two goals aimed towards meeting the linkages to all other SDGs, but also underpins them. We also acknowledge the
needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to existence of other human settlements indicators in other goals within the SDG
meet their needs. Sustainable cities goal is a transformative agenda that believes framework.
everyone must have a dignified life and live in an environment that allows people
6 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 11
Make Cities and Human Settlements Inclusive, Safe, Resilient and Sustainable

NEW URBAN AGENDA FOR PEOPLE, PLANET AND TARGETS AND INDICATORS OF SUSTAINABLE
PROSPERITY DEVELOPMENT GOAL 11

The New Urban Agenda (NUA) was adopted during the Habitat III conference Indeed, many argue that how the world deals with its cities in the coming
in Quito, October 2016. The Conference gathered more than 30,000 accredited years will do much to define the overall success of the SDGs. As U.N Deputy
participants, and involved more than 150,000 people in the entire preparatory Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said, “Cities are where the battle for sustainable
process including regional and thematic meetings, negotiations, meetings development will be won or lost if we all fail.” Goal 11 contributes to further
with stakeholders, and the preparation of policy papers amongst others. The work that begun as part of MDG Goal 7 on improving basic services and reducing
New Urban Agenda brings with it many years of UN-Habitat’s combined slums.
cumulative experience in implementing the most important aspects of ensuring
that urbanization remains the strategic issue, both for local and for national Making progress in Monitoring of SDG 11 is crucial in ensuring the success
governments. This includes the consolidated vision of urbanization as the key of the SDG framework. It is therefore necessary to identify and apply specific,
driver and source of development as well as the engine for prosperity and human measurable and action-oriented methods and approaches for localizing
progress, as reflected in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. implementation of SDG. The Inter Agency Expert Group on Sustainable
Development Goal Indicators (IAEG-SDGs), led by Member States, was
The New Urban Agenda simplifies as a plan of action geared towards addressing responsible for developing an indicator framework for SDG monitoring at the
the complex challenges of urbanization through identification of places of global level and for supporting its implementation. UN-Habitat was highly
action and the responsible actors that can change and carry out the changes in involved throughout the SDG process and supports IAEG-SDGs on behalf of the
the path towards urbanization. The NUA, operates on five key principles of i) United Nations system with regard to SDG 11.
National Urban Policy; ii) Rules and Regulations; iii) Urban Planning and Design;
iv) Financing Urbanization; and v) the Local implementation of the NUA. The SDG 11 contains ten targets: seven are outcome-oriented and three are process-
principles are in line with the SDGs human settlements related indicators oriented. The goal aims to provide safe and affordable housing and public
making these two global frameworks complementary in nature as well as ease transport and develop well-planned cities with environmentally sustainable
the monitoring and reporting on the global performance of both. buildings and increased green public spaces where cultural and national
heritage is protected. It also aims to improve resilience to disaster and risk
management. The latest targets and associated indicators, as listed by IAEG-
SDGs are presented below. For more information, please refer to http://www.
un.org/sustainabledevelopment/cities/
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OVERVIEW OF TARGETS AND PROPOSED INDICATORS FOR GLOBAL MONITORING OF SUSTAINABLE

DEVELOPMENT GOAL 11 AND OTHER HUMAN SETTLEMENTS INDICATORS IN OTHER GOALS

Indicators as listed by the Inter-Agency Expert Group on Sustainable Development of certain population groups, which may indicate poverty as well as inadequate
Goal (IAEG: SDGs). living conditions in urban areas. Therefore, to develop appropriate policies it
is necessary to identify and quantify the proportion of the population living in
Target 11.1 “By 2030, ensure access for all to slums, informal settlements or those living in inadequate housing. A prosperous
adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic and inclusive city or nation seeks to reduce spatial inequalities and provide
services and upgrade slums.” comprehensive responses to the challenges of urban poverty.

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.

Current Indicator

11.1.1: Proportion of urban population living in slums, informal settlements or

inadequate housing

Background
Rapid urbanization, if not well managed, increases informal settlements/housing
and poverty. This leads to spatial inequalities that are expressed as segregation
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Current Indicator Current Indicators

11.2.1: Proportion of the population that has convenient access to public 11.3.1: Ratio of land consumption rate to population growth rate
transport by sex, age and person s with disabilities
Background
Background A defining feature of many of the world’s cities is an outward expansion far beyond
The ability of residents including persons with disabilities and businesses to formal administrative boundaries, largely propelled by the use of automobiles,
access markets, employment opportunities, and service centres such as schools poor urban and regional planning and land speculation. A large proportion of
and hospitals is critical to urban economic development. The transport system cities both from developed and developing countries have high consuming
thus provides access to resources and employment opportunities. Moreover, suburban expansion patterns, which often extend to even further peripheries. In
accessibility allows planners to measure the effects of changes in transport and order to effectively monitor land consumption growth, it is not only necessary to
land use systems. The accessibility of jobs, services and markets also allows have the information on existing land use cover but also the capability to monitor
policymakers, citizens and businesses to discuss the state of the transport the dynamics of the resulting changes in land use. This should take into account
system in a comprehensible manner. With accessibility to services, goods and the modifications resulting from the changing demands of increasing population
opportunities for all as the ultimate goal, priority is given to making cities more and forces of nature acting to shape the landscape because all land cover today is
compact and walkable through better planning and the integration of land use altered principally by direct human use .
planning within transport planning.
11.3.2: Proportion of cities with a direct participation structure of civil society in
Target 11.3 “By 2030, enhance inclusive urban planning and management that operate regularly and democratically.
and sustainable urbanization and capacity for
participatory, integrated and sustainable human Background
settlement planning and management in all countries. Public participation ensures a positive relationship between government and
public by communicating effectively and solving the conflicts in a gentler way.
In many cases when people see urban planning decisions made without letting
them know, they act radically, which results to potentially explosive situation
of the society. Ensuring that a wide variety of opinions are considered assists
the decision makers with understanding the interlinked nature of problems
facing the city. This people centred approach is vital in urban planning and
implementation of community projects and remains one of the key methodologies
being developed to address priority development issues at city wide or local
levels.
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Make Cities and Human Settlements Inclusive, Safe, Resilient And Sustainable

Target 11.4 “Strengthen efforts to protect and Background

safeguard the world cultural and natural heritage.” Financial efforts/actions made by public authorities, both at the local, national
and international levels, alone or in partnership with civil society organiza-
tions (CSOs) and the private sector aimed at protecting and safeguarding the
world’s cultural and natural heritage have a direct impact in making cities and
human settlements more sustainable. This ensures the safeguarding of cultural
resources and assets to keep attracting people (inhabitants, workers, tourists,
etc.) and financial investments, to ultimately enhance the total amount of ex-
penditure necessary.

Target 11.5 “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.”

Current indicator

11.4.1: Total expenditure (public and private) per capita spent on the preservation,
protection and conservation of all cultural and natural heritage, by type of heritage
(cultural, natural, mixed, World Heritage Centre designation), level of government
(national, regional, and local/municipal), type of expenditure (operating
expenditure/investment) and type of private funding (donations in kind, private
non-profit sector, sponsorship).
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Current Indicators Target 11.6 “By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita
11.5.1: Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons environmental impact of cities, including by paying
attributed to disaster per 100,000 population special attention to air quality and municipal and
other waste management
Background
Cities around the world, as well as rural populations, witness growing disaster
risks. Impacts of climate change on sustainable development are observable
through slow-onset events (e.g. sea level rise, increasing temperatures, ocean
acidification, glacial retreat and related impacts, salinization, land and forest
degradation, loss of biodiversity and desertification) and extreme weather events.
Cities are some of the most vulnerable areas to natural disasters. Unplanned
urban development (e.g. informal settlements, overcrowding, inadequate
infrastructures) exacerbates urban vulnerability to climate change impacts and
hydro-meteorological and geological hazards. Better management of natural
resources strengthens the resilience of the poor, by reducing the likelihood of
natural hazardous events and offering resources to help cope with them.

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.

Background
There are several dimensions of poverty closely related to environment, often
affected by natural disasters. Large numbers of people remain perilously close to
falling into poverty, experiencing shocks that they are unable to cope with in the
aftermath of large catastrophic events. For the poor, a shock of even a relatively
short duration can have long-term consequences because of unsustainable
coping strategies and mechanisms. The poverty reduction agenda could include
well-designed social protection schemes to help protect the poor against sudden
shocks and the development of capacities to better predict and prepare for such
shocks. The economic loss indicator seeks to track loss of agricultural, industrial
and commercial sectors and damage to housing and critical infrastructure.
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Make Cities and Human Settlements Inclusive, Safe, Resilient And Sustainable

Current Indicators from respiratory infections and diseases, lung cancer, and selected cardiovascular
diseases. Therefore, in order to tackle climate change, avoid lasting damage to
11.6.1: Proportion of urban solid waste regularly collected and with adequate final vital ecosystems and improve the health and well-being of billions of people,
discharge out of total urban solid waste generated, by cities. solutions to these problems must be sought at the city level. Economic growth
and urbanization are inevitable; and if matched with appropriate and effective
Background policies and governance, the environmental consequences are manageable.
Managing solid waste is one of the important challenges of urban areas of all sizes. Cities must build the financial and other institutions required to achieve
Waste collection and management is intended to lessen adverse effects of waste on environmental sustainability (without which economic growth will fall short of
health, the environment or aesthetics, and the entire ecosystems that support the ensuring shared prosperity).
city or urban area. Urban households and businesses produce substantial amounts
of solid waste, including industrial, construction and hazardous waste that needs
to be collected regularly and properly disposed of in order to maintain healthy
and sanitary living conditions. Uncollected and improperly managed solid waste
can end up in drains and dumps leading to blocked drainage and cause unsanitary
conditions providing breeding grounds for disease vectors. A prosperous city seeks
to collect and manage appropriately all of its solid waste and improve standards
of living, cleanliness and hence decrease the chances of having disease outbreaks
related to the improper management of waste. Sustainable solid waste management
is essential for the sustainability of cities especially if it includes waste reduction,
reuse, recycling and composting, incineration, and disposal in landfills.

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

Background
Urbanization has enormous environmental consequences, both global and local.
Already city dwellers are indicated as responsible for up to 70% of the world’s
greenhouse gas emissions. Air pollution consists of many pollutants, among
other particulate matter. These particles are able to penetrate deeply into the
respiratory tract and therefore constitute a risk for health by increasing mortality
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how we can humanize our cities and make our streets more communal. Public
Target 11.7 “By 2030, provide universal access to safe, spaces are often more than anonymous places that can be replaced with one
inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in another: the meetings and exchanges that occur there affect our relationships
particular for women and children, older persons and with each other, giving meaning to our communities and urban landscapes.
persons with disabilities Cities that improve and sustain the use of public space, including streets,
enhance community cohesion, civic identity, and quality of life. Having access
to open public spaces does not only improve the quality of life: it is also a first
step toward civic empowerment and greater access to institutional and political
spaces. Measuring how much public space a city has is only one part of measuring
whether residents actually benefit from the space.

11.7.2: Proportion of person’s victim of physical or sexual harassment, by sex, age,

disability status and place of occurrence, in the previous 12 months

Background
Sexual harassment is a violation of human rights and a prohibited form of
violence against women in many countries. The experience of sexual harassment
causes devastating physical and psychological injuries to a large percentage of
the victims. In urban and rural areas, developed or developing countries, women
and girls are constantly subjected to these forms of violence on streets, on public
transport, in shopping centres and in public parks, in and around schools and
workplaces, in public sanitation facilities and water and food distribution sites,
Current Indicators or in their own neighbourhoods. Such harassment reinforces the subordination
of women to men in society, violates women’s dignity and creates a health and
11.7.1: Average share of the built-up area of cities that is open space for public safety hazard in public space.
use for all, by sex, age and persons with disabilities

Background
Many public areas have been gradually forgotten or are no longer safe spaces for
many city residents. In order for cities to be vibrant and safe places, we need
to think of them as systems of interdependent parts and complex connections,
as interactive and social spaces. Reclaiming urban spaces for people is part of
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Make Cities and Human Settlements Inclusive, Safe, Resilient And Sustainable

Target 11.a “Support positive economic, social and sectorial policies, connecting national, regional and local government policies,
environmental links between urban, peri-urban and strengthening urban, peri-urban and rural links through balanced territorial
rural areas by strengthening national and regional development. This indicator provides a good barometer on global progress
development planning” on sustainable national urban policies. It serves as a gap analysis to support
policy recommendations. It also enables the identification of good practices and
policies among countries that can promote partnership and cooperation between
all stakeholders.

Target 11.b “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.”

Current indicator

11.a.1: Proportion of population living in cities that implement urban and

regional development plans integrating population projections and resource
needs, by size of city.

Background
National Urban Policy (NUP) and Regional Development Plans (RDP) promotes
coordinated and connected urban development. A coordinated effort from
government through a NUP or RDP provides the best opportunity for achieving
sustainable urbanization and balanced territorial development by linking
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Current Indicators 11.b.2: Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster
risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies.
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.

Background
Cities are very vulnerable to natural disasters, especially climate-related shocks.
Over half of all coastal areas are urbanized and 21 of the world’s 33 megacities
lie in coastal flood zones. Coastal cities are particularly affected by sea level
rise, coastal flooding and erosion, and extreme events (e.g. tsunamis and
storm surges) due to the undermining natural protective barriers, low levels of
development combined with rapid population growth in low lying coastal areas
and inadequate capacity to adapt. In addition to the impact on communities and
non-human species, unplanned urbanization also undermines the ecosystem Current indicator
services that support much of the hard urban infrastructure. This type of
development also exacerbates urban vulnerability to climate change impacts, Background
including hydro- meteorological and geological hazards. Disasters such as droughts, fires, floods, earthquakes are some of the major
disasters that affect majority of the cities in the world. Fires and floods are in
particularly costly at the local level because of the widespread destruction and
loss of life that usually arises after every disaster. Local government are at the
forefront of dealing with disasters when they arise. Local government officials
are usually the first people who have to deal with a disaster, and if the disaster
is not too large, it is often the only local government involved. This is the main
reason why each local government needs to be prepared to manage a disaster.
They need therefore to have an existing disaster management policy and strategy
to be prepared on how to handle disasters. They should be able and ready to
provide the necessary emergency shelters and provisions. It is imperative that
each city or local government has a disaster management policy and thus be
adequately prepared to manage a disaster.
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Make Cities and Human Settlements Inclusive, Safe, Resilient And Sustainable

Target 11.c Support least developed countries, inclusiveness in Least Developed Countries (LDCs). In addition, the use of local
including through financial and technical assistance, building materials can make a substantial contribution to a building’s sustainability,
in building sustainable and resilient buildings utilizing in terms of embodied energy, resource-use and other life-cycle impacts. Local
local materials. building materials are defined as materials of which the entire life cycle (extraction,
manufacturing, sale, use and recycling) is tied to the same geographic region. The
number of jobs in the manufacture of local building materials can indicate the share
of green construction jobs that contribute to sustainable cities and human settlements
and, by inference, the sustainability of the building sector as a whole. Often in LDCs,
the construction industry is heavily dependent on the informal sector, making-up a
substantial portion of a country’s total output; both formal and informal jobs should
therefore be taken into consideration.

Target 1.4: By 2030, ensure that all men and women,

in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal
rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic
services, ownership and control over land and other
forms of property, inheritance, natural resources,
appropriate new technology and financial services,
including microfinance.

Current indicator

11.c.1: 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.

Background
The performance of the construction sector is important for the economic health
of a country, and particularly relevant for enhancing resilience, sustainability and
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Current indicators Background

Secure tenure rights to land and natural resources are a key for poor populations
1.4.1: Proportion of population living in households with access to basic to access the very basic resources that would allow them to develop and sustain
services their livelihoods. Without secure land tenure, families and communities are
vulnerable to expropriations and face numerous challenges to access financial
Background resources, markets and other services. Land is a source of food and shelter; the
Providing access to basic services such as water supply, sanitation, power, basis for social, cultural and religious practices; and a central factor in economic
roads, transport, housing, etc. helps to improve the quality of the urban poor growth. As a result, land tenure security has been recognized as highly relevant
communities. The lack of basic service provision and the lack of empowerment to the achievement of SDGs; for ending poverty, ending hunger, achieving food
and involvement of local governments in basic service delivery (Water and security, gender equality, and sustainable cities and human settlements, and for
sanitation, electricity, solid waste etc.) undermines the economic growth and the protection and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems.
quality of life in urban communities. Proper basic service delivery system
promotes socio-economic welfare of the inhabitants and ensures that priorities
needed to enhance economic growth social inclusion and reducing poverty
and inequality are met. Urban areas are the basic cornerstone of economic
growth, the inter-relationship between urban basic services and social well-
being, economic development and the environment make the provision of
adequate services a complex urban governance challenge.

1.4.2: Proportion of total adult population with secure tenure rights to land,
with legally recognized documentation and who perceive their rights to land as
secure, by sex and by type of tenure
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Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing Background

pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release Continuous population growth, urbanization, land use change, industrialization,
of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the food production practices and the increased living standards have instilled
proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially poor water use practices accompanied with ineffective wastewater management
increasing recycling and safe reuse globally. strategies. Consequently, majority of wastewaters, septage and faecal sludge
end up discharged without any form of treatment into the environment
increasing risks of spreading disease to humans and damaging key ecosystems
such as coral reefs and fisheries as well as undermining the water quality.
Wastewater management strategy (or the lack thereof) has a direct impact
on the biological diversity of aquatic ecosystems, disrupting the fundamental
integrity of our life support systems, on which a wide range of sectors, from
urban development to food production and industry, depend. This has huge
economic and financial impacts (e.g. increased treatment costs to make water
usable purposes). It is essential that wastewater management be considered as
part of an integrated, full life cycle, ecosystem-based management system that
operates across all three dimensions of sustainable development (economic,
social and environmental).

Current indicator

6.3.1: Proportion of wastewater safely treated

MONITORING HUMAN SETTLEMENTS
INDICATORS
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Make Cities and Human Settlements Inclusive, Safe, Resilient and Sustainable

IMPORTANCE OF MONITORING
set of cities that are representative of their territories, geographies and history
Accurate and correct data and metrics enable cities to make correct decisions can request UN-Habitat to assist them to draw a National Sample of Cities. This
on the best policies and means to track changes and systematically document will enable countries to report on a nationally representative sample, in order to
performances at the city level. This reinforces advocacy, stimulates political keep trend analysis, and undertake the longitudinal analysis of urban changes.
commitment and public private investments, informs decision-making at In addition to this sample, cities are also encouraged to monitor and report on
all levels and prompts well-placed investments targeted towards optimum the targets that have an urban dimension in close collaboration with national
sustainable cities. An innovative monitoring mechanism will assist in governments systems and SDG reporting arrangements.
avoiding an excessive sectorial approach to urban development. For example,
when designing sustainable urban mobility solutions, we need to ensure an Standardized methods for measurement will enhance the comparability of
integrated approach to urban planning and land use regulations. results across cities and countries. It will also be possible to aggregate them
for regional and global monitoring and reporting. Additionally, UN-Habitat is
Over time, monitoring can also help to identify best practices and support working on frameworks to address uncertainties on how reports will create
productive integration across sectors and targets within SDG framework. It also consistency and use times series analysis, to ensure uniformity in reporting of
promotes accountability of different actors as well as stimulate inclusive dialogue same cities over time. Finally, further discussions are warranted on how missing
on improving the effectiveness of development cooperation and actions. values will be handled in national, regional and global aggregations and progress
reports if cities and countries do not collect particular indicators, or they do so
GLOBAL MONITORING OF SDG 11 in sporadic manner.

Member States are encouraged to measure, monitor and report on the targets
of SDG Goal 11 using a proposed framework that will entail enhancing their TECHNOLOGY FOR DATA REVOLUTION FOR SDG
statistical capacities, and tapping into new and non-traditional data sources GOAL 11
for spatial analysis. While monitoring the indicators, national governments are
recommended to define a national sample of cities based on their own system New technologies are rapidly improving the capacity to collect, store, analyze,
of cities that is proportionally representative of all sub-regions, sizes of urban report and share data, and at the same time reducing related costs. Some
settlements and functionality. examples include the advancements in mobile-phone based tools, geospatial
technology such as GPS (Global Positioning Systems), GIS (Geographical
Countries and cities have been presented with the possibility to monitor Information Systems), and RS (Remote Sensing). Data will be available in real
progress towards targets that are not necessarily global indicators. A challenging time for various uses through mobile to web based applications.
task, but if well planned it will allow them to customize monitoring to a city or
country context, as part of the local and national strategic planning and dialogue Spatially disaggregated data provides relevant information for policy makers to
process. The countries that are planning to monitor and report on a consistent decide on local-level allocation of resources and the monitoring of equitable
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STEPS FOR PROGRESSIVE MONITORING

outcomes across and within cities and human settlements. Simplified and We encourage member states to begin monitoring efforts at a level in line with
affordable technology will thus allow for the expansion of citizen service, which, their national capacity and available resources, and apply flexible methodologies,
in turn will help reduce monitoring costs and challenges related to resource- for which the concept of progressive monitoring steps is useful. Significant
constrained or remote settings and improve data disaggregation. opportunities for combining various methods and data sources, including using
direct measurements, surveys, remote-sensing measurements, estimates and
NATIONAL MONITORING AS THE FOUNDATION FOR literature reviews to that will enhance their statistical capacities and tapping
REGIONAL AND GLOBAL MONITORING into new and non-traditional sources for spatial analysis.

Individual member states will be responsible for monitoring and reporting National governments are encouraged to consult UN-Habitat in defining their
of the SDGs and the main beneficiaries of improved access to higher quality national sample of cities based on their own system of cities that is proportionally
data. All monitoring initiatives therefore must be sensitive to the national representatives of sub-region, sizes of urban settlements and functionality. In
needs of member states hence capacity development is necessary to ensure the the longer term, as the monitoring capacity and resources improve, national
sustainability of monitoring and processes. monitoring will feed directly into global monitoring.

Regional and global monitoring should be enhanced, and used to reinforce

national monitoring. Harmonized monitoring, use of similar standards and
definitions across countries approaches are therefore necessary to allow for
comparison of data among countries and over time, and to track progress at the
regional and global levels.
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IMPLEMENTING GLOBAL MONITORING AT

THE NATIONAL LEVEL
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The implementation and reporting of the SDGs will require a paradigm shift in and transparent sharing and validation of data will be critical in ensuring a
governance with renewed participation and involvement of local government. strong link between national and global monitoring. For the purpose of SDG
It is estimated that 23 percent of all SDGs indicators have a local or urban 11 monitoring and reporting, it is necessary to develop a global data repository.
component. This represents a great opportunity to advance the urban agenda, but Formalities related to data ownership and use, data transfer will be agreed upon
also presents an immense challenge. Cities cannot and should not act alone. The among partners and stakeholders
successful implementation of the SDGs requires promoting the empowerment
of civil society, including different economic, social and political actors. It also INTEGRATED MONITORING OF SDG GOAL 11-CPI
requires expanding participation and reinforcing collaboration between different
levels of government. Building on national monitoring efforts, UN-Habitat stands ready to support
member states in the global monitoring of SDG 11 and other SDGs indicators
The work of implementing global monitoring of SDG 11 and other urban related with an urban basis through a coherent and integrated monitoring framework.
indicators is under the leadership of UN-Habitat and other partners. At the This entails the capability of developing and establishing a measure that works
national level, this includes development of monitoring methodologies and through data collection and analysis with clear definitions. The City Prosperity
supporting countries in data collection, analysis and reporting. Within SDG Initiative (CPI) is one of those tools.
11 targets/indicators, there are specific lead agencies and partners. e.g. 11.5,
11.b (UNISDR), 11.7.2 (UNODC), 11. 4 (UNESCO), 11.6.2 (WHO). Each United The City Prosperity Initiative (CPI), a new global monitoring tool to measure
Nation agency has focal points as well as the designated leads. The monitoring sustainability at urban level created in 2012 by UN-Habitat, enables city
methodologies will differ in their nature and scope, and data collection may authorities and local stakeholders to identify opportunities and potential areas of
involve different stakeholders and governmental bodies. The motivation for intervention in order to formulate better-informed policies. The CPI framework
work at the national level is nevertheless to bring all the relevant stakeholders is based on a sound statistical approach that integrates various indicators. The
together in a coordinated manner to ensure less duplication of efforts around City Prosperity Initiative is already tracking progress on SDG related indicators
SDG 11 monitoring and to maximize synergies and minimize overlaps. The such as 11.1.1, 11.7.1, 11.6.1 and 11.6.2 with a coherent global mechanism.
appointed focal point from the United Nations system will facilitate interaction
among this team and national structures and efforts. The initiative focus is to integrate all the aspects of city management by assessing
performance through six dimensions: Infrastructure, Productivity, Quality of Life,
Member states have the task to decide on suitable structures for implementation Equity and Social Inclusion, Environment sustainability and Governance.
on the national level as well as the responsibility for national data collection,
analysis and dissemination and reporting. Establishing mechanisms for easy
 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 11 23
Make Cities and Human Settlements Inclusive, Safe, Resilient and Sustainable

HOW TO BE INVOLVED IN MONITORING OF SDG 11

Participation on the technical meeting as well as the regional workshops in

2017/18 provides a greater opportunity to engage in the process of SDG 11
monitoring. In 2017/2018, the focus lies on further developing metadata and
methodology for tier III indicators while for tier I and tier II it will involve
training workshops for data collection and analysis and pilot testing them in
selected countries. The development of the monitoring strategy is based on the
proposed indicators for SDG 11.

The long-term goals for CPI are to:

• Establish and manage a coherent monitoring framework for SDG 11 to inform the
New Urban Agenda and the post -2015 period.

• Contribute to country progress through well-informed decision-making on cities

based on synchronized, comprehensive, timely and accurate information.

• Assist member states with a monitoring guide for SDG 11 and other urban related
targets.

• Assist in the development of strategies for training and capacity development as

well as dissemination, including the development of portals online webpage and
systems.

• Report on global progress towards SDG 11.

24 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 11
Make Cities and Human Settlements Inclusive, Safe, Resilient and Sustainable

TIER CLASSIFICATION FOR HUMAN SETTLEMENTS INDICATORS

Target Indicator Tier Classification

1.4 By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and 1.4.1: Proportion of population living in households with access
Tier III
the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services
to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of
property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology 1.4.2: Proportion of total adult population with secure tenure
and financial services, including microfinance rights to land, with legally recognized documentation and who Tier II
perceive their rights to land as secure, by sex and by type of tenure

6.3 By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating 6.3.1: Proportion of wastewater safely treated
dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials,
Tier II
halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially
increasing recycling and safe reuse globally

11.1 By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable 11.1.1: Proportion of urban population living in slums, informal
Tier I
housing and basic services and upgrade slums settlements or inadequate housing

11.2 By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and 11.2.1: Proportion of population that has convenient access to
sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by public transport, by sex, age and persons with disabilities
expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those Tier II
in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and
older persons

11.3 By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and 11.3.1: Ratio of land consumption rate to population growth rate Tier II
capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement
planning and management in all countries 11.3.2: Proportion of cities with a direct participation structure
of civil society in urban planning and management that operate Tier III
regularly and democratically
 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 11 25
Make Cities and Human Settlements Inclusive, Safe, Resilient and Sustainable

Target Indicator Tier Classification

11.4 Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and 11.4.1 Total expenditure (public and private) per capita spent on
natural heritage the preservation, protection and conservation of all cultural and
natural heritage, by type of heritage (cultural, natural, mixed
and World Heritage Centre designation), level of government Tier III
(national, regional and local/municipal), type of expenditure
(operating expenditure/investment) and type of private funding
(donations in kind, private non-profit sector and sponsorship

11.5 By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number 11.5.1: Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected
Tier II
of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses persons attributed to disaster per 100,000 population
relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including
water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people 11.5.2: Direct economic loss in relation to global GDP, damage to
in vulnerable situations critical infrastructure and number of disruptions to basic services, Tier I
attributed to disasters

11.6 By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of 11.6.1: Proportion of urban solid waste regularly collected and
cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal with adequate final discharge out of total urban solid waste Tier II
and other waste management generated, by cities

11.6.2: Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g. PM2.5

Tier I
and PM10) in cities (population weighted)

11.7 By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, 11.7.1 Average share of the built-up area of cities that is open
Tier III
green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older space for public use for all, by sex, age and persons with disabilities
persons and persons with disabilities
11.7.2: Proportion of persons victim of physical or sexual
harassment, by sex, age, disability status and place of occurrence, Tier III
in the previous 12 months
26 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 11
Make Cities and Human Settlements Inclusive, Safe, Resilient and Sustainable

Target Indicator Tier Classification

11.a Support positive economic, social and environmental links 11.a.1: Proportion of population living in cities that implement
between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national urban and regional development plans integrating population Tier III
and regional development planning projections and resource needs, by size of city

11.b By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human 11.b.1: Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement
settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Tier I
towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030a
climate change, resilience to disasters, and develop and implement, in
line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, 11.b.2: Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement
holistic disaster risk management at all levels local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster Tier II
risk reduction strategies

11.c Support least developed countries, including through financial 11.c.1: Proportion of financial support to the least developed
and technical assistance, in building sustainable and resilient buildings countries that is allocated to the construction and retrofitting of
Tier III
utilizing local materials sustainable, resilient and resource-efficient buildings utilizing
local materials

Definitions of the three indicator tiers.

Tier I: Indicator conceptually clear, established methodology and standards available and data regularly produced by countries
Tier II: Indicator conceptually clear, established methodology and standards available but data are not regularly produced by countries
Tier III: Indicator for which there are no established methodology and standards or methodology/standards are being developed/tested.
 CONTACT INFORMATION
Integrated monitoring of Sustainable Development Goal 11 related
targets and other human settlement indicators is an inter-agency
collaboration composed of United Nations Human Settlements
Programme, United Nations Environment Programme, United
Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, World Health
Organization, UN Women, United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization, United Nations Population Fund, United
Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, United Nations Development
Programme and United Nations Statistical Division

For any further information, please contact:

Robert Ndugwa
Head of Global Urban Observatory
Robert.ndugwa@unhabitat.org

Eduardo López Moreno

Head Research and Capacity Development Branch
Eduardo.moreno@unhabitat.org