COLLEGE PARK, MD – Today, as leaders from around the world gather for London Climate Action Week, the Center for Global Sustainability (CGS) at the University of Maryland released a new report that applies new data and methodologies to better understand how cities have delivered improvements in sustainability, and have exceeded their respective national goals in doing so. The report also shows that more progress will be needed toward four Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The report, "Tracking and Assessing Cities’ SDG Progress and Pathways to Greater Ambition: The Cases of London, New York City, and Shanghai," examines how cities contribute to these broader sustainability goals by addressing communities’ environmental, economic, and social needs. The future of economic development in all countries depends on cities’ capacity to manage growth and reduce environmental impacts. The United Nations’ SDGs serve as a way to structure assessment of progress and to identify areas for improvement. This new analysis uses the agreed SDG framework to establish specific benchmarks to assess city-level progress, and it uses both new data and new methodologies to provide an improved and comprehensive look into city progress over the last decade with expanded coverage of specific indicators of progress. The report then compares progress against city- and national-level targets to assess the role of cities in driving local and national sustainability.
The report finds that London, New York City, and Shanghai made notable progress toward reducing adolescent birth rates; air pollution mortality; water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH)-related mortality; and PM2.5 concentrations. While progress pace differs amongst cities, each outperforms their home countries in reaching national-level sustainability goals.
The release of this analysis comes as international climate leaders convene to reflect on the implementation of SDGs through the UN June Climate Meetings in Germany and London Climate Action Week in the UK. With discussions about the global sustainable development agenda beyond 2030 on the horizon, the report offers valuable insights to inform city-level policies with consideration of national-level outcomes.
“As cities address infrastructure changes over the next decade, this first-of-its-kind research offers valuable insights into how leaders can best support their communities and their sustainability agendas in tandem,” CGS Assistant Director and University of Maryland Associate Research Professor Dr. Jiehong Lou said. “Cities have continued to push sustainability agendas forward, and their ability to outperform home countries in achieving national climate goals speaks to the essential roles they play in achieving global sustainability.”
Access the full report here.
