SDG 11: SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 11 or Global Goal 11) refers to “Sustainable Cities and Communities” and the aim of SDG11 are making cities safe and sustainable means ensuring access to safe and affordable housing, and upgrading slum settlements. It also involves investment in public transport, creating green public spaces, and improving urban planning and management in a way that is both participatory and inclusive.

Lebanon has a rich urban cultural heritage, with a number of the world’s oldest cities. The country has, however, witnessed large demographic changes, including a high level of conflict-induced urbanization and waves of external and internal displacements. Such increasingly complex urban contexts can make it more difficult to maintain social coherence and ensure inclusion. Lebanon support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning and substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters, and develop and implement, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, holistic disaster risk management at all levels.

Beirut Arab University contributes to SDG11 by conducting interdisciplinary urban research activities and events, covering all aspects of social, economic and physical change in cities and creating significant impact. BAU promotes the use of big data and innovative research methods to improve social, economic and environmental well-being in cities, and works closely with government, industry and third-sector partners.