Towards SDG 11: How Urban Greenery Can Help Us Build Sustainable Cities

In 2015, the United Nations launched 17 Sustainable Development Goals—efforts that should be taken to ensure the wellbeing of people and the planet by 2030. One of these goals aims to make cities sustainable by addressing environmental, social, and economic impacts to ensure cities are livable for future generations. This goal is important because more than half the world lives in cities now. Meeting the needs of many people in cities will not be easy, particularly with global problems like the hot temperatures experienced in cities, pollution, climate change, and food shortages. This is where urban greenery could help. Urban greenery includes the trees, parks, and other plants you see in cities. Greenery can help make our cities sustainable, providing benefits like cleaning the air, cooling the city in hot summer temperatures, and preventing flooding during heavy rains. Greener cities could make life better and healthier for everyone.