Sustainable Communities
Ensuring sustainable, safer cities and inclusive communities.
As the world becomes increasingly urbanised, the need for sustainable cities and communities grows ever greater. In 2009, the total number of people living in urban areas surpassed that of rural dwellers for the first time. About 55 per cent of the global population currently lives in cities, with this proportion expected to increase to 68 per cent by 2050. In the context of sustainable development, increased urbanisation rates present challenges and opportunities alike. Urbanisation may aggravate inequality and exclusion or create negative environmental impacts – but it can also foster innovation, economic growth, and more efficient land use.
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 3(SDG) focuses on ensuring that the positive outcomes of urbanisation outweigh the negative, by encouraging more sustainable infrastructure, promoting inclusion and ensuring that cities (and their citizens) are both safe and secure. Products from the mining and minerals sector have a great part to play in the technological solutions necessary for achieving these aims.