Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 

Cities are hubs for ideas, commerce, culture, science, productivity and social development. With the number of people living within urban areas projected to rise to 5 billion by 2030, cities will increasingly shape the social, political, economic and environmental conditions in their countries. They are also at the forefront of efforts to address many of today’s transnational security challenges as well as climate change, natural disasters and mass movements of people. Future cities need to be safe, sustainable and resilient to disasters.  

The OSCE helps its participating States to increase the disaster resilience of communities by raising their awareness of risks and building their capacity to be prepared.   It strengthens cross-border co-operation among high-risk municipalities by organizing joint training events and providing technical assistance in the preparation of local disaster risk reduction plans.

The OSCE also supports local efforts for building integrated and inclusive societies and fosters good governance and trust between citizens and public institutions. The OSCE-supported Aarhus Centres play an important role in this respect. Through forums and conferences, the Organization contributes to the exchange of best practices among its participating States and a wide array of stakeholders on sustainable management and greening of the economies in urban areas.