The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 are related to an overall improvement in the well-being and quality of life of the entire population. Often these assumptions seem idealistic, but smaller goals are a good starting point to discuss what moment of change we are in and what changes we should invest in. The implementation of the SDGs is often achieved through well-designed policies and the involvement of different organisations. Agenda 2030 refers, among other things, to objectives such as: less inequality or the end of poverty. The sustainable development paradigm includes the issue of growth limits, that is, thinking sensibly about progress that is not exploitative, environmental protection and development economics understood as thinking focused on society, not just numbers and achievements. The reason for the creation of the doctrine of sustainable development is among others. climate change and excessive human interference with the natural environment.
UN Goal 11 for 2030 is the sustainable development of cities and communities, which appeals to thoughtful infrastructure and urbanization, more egalitarian housing, the resilience of cities to climate change, transportation, urban ecology and sustainable management. Housing and infrastructure of the site
By 2030, the world's population is projected to grow to about 8.5 billion people. About 60% of them will live in urban areas, which means about 5.1 billion urban residents. Overpopulation is becoming an important issue in many areas, especially urban, and the affected regions of the world are: South Asia (e.g. India, Bangladesh), East Asia (e.g. China), Sub-Saharan Africa (e.g. Nigeria), Latin America (e.g. Brazil), and some fast-growing agglomerations in North Africa and the Middle East. Cities attract with their development, availability of services and jobs. Although at the same time we can observe some trends indicating the return of part of the population to the periphery and rural areas, which was greatly accelerated by the pandemic, revealing the possibilities of remote work in many professions, cities still remain the most attractive points on the map of population migration. Therefore, their sustainability is crucial in the context of building cohesive and resilient communities.
Referring to the periphery, we must bear in mind that 1.1 billion people live in slums all the time (data from 2020). This applies mainly to the regions of Central and South Asia, East and Southeast Asia as well as Sub-Saharan Africa. Deepening housing crisis in cities, it is manifested by a sharp increase in property prices with limited access to financing for young people and families without family support. In Warsaw, the average price in 2025 was about 10 400 PLN/m², and the availability of apartments at a price below 10 000 PLN/m² fell to only about 100 units The conditions for obtaining mortgage loans are very difficult - the interest rate on variable loans fluctuated around 7.5-8.7%, and permanent - from about 7.1 to 7.9%, which places Poland at the top of Europe in terms of costs credit. The lack of adequate legal regulation favors the speculative use of housing as an investment rather than as a living space. As a result, many young people are forced to live with their parents (nearly a third of people aged 25-34) or spend more than 40% of their income on rent. The regulation of the real estate market is necessary to make housing accessible and serve a social, not purely investment purpose. Social housing policy is essential if we want to think about demography, which, for now, shows that the problem of an ageing population in Poland is deepening. And access to housing is also a chance to start a family, that is, as a result, to increase fertility.
Housing construction is not only the provision of residential premises, but also well-thought-out urban planning and infrastructure. It is important to design sufficiently wide sidewalks, separated bicycle paths, green areas, playgrounds for children and good quality transport links between the settlements and the rest of the city. There is increasing interest in the concept of the so-called “15 minute cities”, according to which each district should provide access to key services - such as the post office, pharmacy, shops, school or office - within 15 minutes on foot or by bike. This type of space planning promotes inclusiveness and significantly improves the quality of life, especially elderly people, people with disabilities and families with children.
A key element of a well-functioning city remains public transport. Its high quality translates into a better organization of everyday life, shorter commute times and greater efficiency in the operation of the entire agglomeration. Moreover, the development of the so-called. to collect (collective public transport) contributes to environmental protection - the more people use public transport, the fewer cars on the roads and the lower the level of exhaust emissions. As part of Goal 11 of Sustainable Development (UN 2030 Agenda) It is also important to promote Climate resistant construction, based on local materials and environmentally friendly technologies. The sustainability paradigm supports the creation of safe, sustainable and more accessible spaces to live — especially in the regions most vulnerable to the effects of global warming.
City planning and public space
Thinking about urban space is also inclusivity. Many cities are still not adapted to the needs of people with disabilities. We still lack a coherent architectural vision and solutions that would make it easier, for example, to move around in a wheelchair. In principle, cities are most often designed as if society consists exclusively of young, healthy people without children. Meanwhile, the reality is quite different - the elderly, people with disabilities, children and whole families also function in the urban space, for whom moving around the city every day can be a real challenge.
This is especially evident where Primacy of infrastructure They still have cars, not pedestrians. The city then becomes an unfriendly place: noisy, polluted, crowded, sometimes even resembling a highway lane, not a space to live. In well-designed cities, the center is given to residents - car-free zones, pedestrian areas, green spaces are created. This is important not only from the point of view of living comfort, but also the protection of cultural heritage and public space. Places of history and art - monuments, museums, squares - then acquire a completely different character, because they are not overwhelmed by urban noise and smog. It matters on many levels: for air quality, noise reduction, safety of residents, preservation of culture and simply - for the aesthetics of the city. Promoting sustainable development is not only, as it might seem, economics and ecology, but also care for culture and heritage.
Urban ecology
The objective of the UN 2030 Agenda 11.6 is to reduce the negative impact of cities on the environment, with a particular focus on air quality and waste management. According to WHO and UN News, 99% of the world's population breathes air above WHO guidelines. In the EU, 97% of urban residents in 2021 were exposed to PM2.5 levels above WHO standards, even though only about 1% exceeded the less stringent EU limit. Regarding waste; globally only 82% of municipal waste is collected and only 55% ends up in controlled installations. In the sub-Saharan Africa region, these rates are < 60%, respectively, and well below the global average. Such data underline that despite progress, many cities still face serious health risks related to pollution and inadequate waste management infrastructure. This is another problem that affects not only the functioning of the city, but also the health of all of us.
summary
The sustainable development of cities and communities requires the attention of politicians and urban activist organizations. Urbanization brings challenges, but also opportunities for better development. If cities are to be friendly, healthy and accessible to all - regardless of age, fitness or economic situation - we need to think about their development in a systemic and long-term way. This includes affordable housing, crisis-resilient infrastructure, mass transit, air quality, urban greenery, and human-centred spatial planning. Cities that are thoughtful become a driving force for social and ecological well-being. A sustainable development strategy is de facto sustainable development that has a positive impact on the environment. Consistently thinking about the city as a social organism makes the integration of sustainable development progress.
Sources
1. https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/04/1115492
2. https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/newsroom/news/population-remains-exposed-air-pollution?
5. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2023/goal-11/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
6. https://mortgageblog.pl/news/polish-mortgage-market-update-january-2025/
7. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1172629/mortgage-rates-per-country-in-europe-per-quarter/
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