Cities and the Challenge of Sustainable Development

According to the United Nations, urbanization and population growth could result in an increase of 2.5 billion people into urban populations by 2050, with associated impacts ranging from increased transportation needs to more building. How do we make cities sustainable to support this growth?

In this mini-series, learn the challenges of local governments to adapt to new technologies, energy systems, modes of transportation and more in order to build the sustainable cities of the 21st century.

This mini-series is a companion piece to the SDG Academy's full-length Sustainable Cities course.

This course is for:

Anyone new to the concept of sustainable cities or smart cities who wants to understand the foundations of modern urban development

Graduate students and advanced undergraduate students in architecture, real estate development, sustainable development, sustainable business and other related fields who want a concise overview of the concept of sustainable cities

Sustainable development practitioners interested in the basics of sustainable development for cities around the world

Private-sector actors, such as those who work in technology, telecommunications, transportation or the energy industry – whose work can contribute to and redefine this space

What you'll learn

• The basics of sustainability
• The Sustainable Development Goals and how they apply to cities
• What constitutes a sustainable city
• How various sectors contribute to modern, sustainable urban development