Achieving the SDGs: Evaluating indicators to be used to benchmark and monitor progress towards creating healthy and sustainable cities.

A new journal article examines the extent to which the UN indicators will help cities evaluate their efforts to deliver sustainability and health outcomes

In 2016, the World Health Organization declared that 'Health is one of the most effective markers of any city's successful sustainable development' (World Health Organisation, 2016). With estimates that around 6.7 billion people will live in cities by 2050, 21st century city planning decisions will play a critical role in achieving the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They will determine the city structure and access to health-enhancing (or health-damaging) urban environments, and ultimately lifestyle choices that impact both individual and planetary health. Benchmarking, monitoring and evaluating city planning policies and interventions is therefore critical to optimise urban outcomes. In 2017, the UN adopted a global SDG indicator framework, calling for complementary national and regional indicators to be collected by member countries. UN Habitat has also developed an indicator action framework specifically for cities. This paper examined the extent to which the UN indicators will help cities evaluate their efforts to deliver sustainability and health outcomes. It identified inconsistencies between the two UN indicator frameworks. Many of the SDG indicators assess outcomes, rather than the comprehensive and integrated 'upstream' policies and interventions required to deliver outcomes on-the-ground. Conversely, the UN Habitat framework incorporates intervention indicators, but excludes health outcome indicators. A more comprehensive approach to benchmarking, monitoring and evaluating policies designed to achieve healthy and sustainable cities and assessing spatial inequities is proposed.

Article written by: Billie Giles-Corti, Melanie Lowe and Jonathan Arundelab

Access the full journal article here.

12 July 2019

More SDGs News

SDG Governance and Reporting in Partnership with CPA Australia

A new report from RMIT University and CPA Australia has revealed that there is substantial variability in the content and quality of SDG disclosures within corporate sustainability reports, bringing into question the management processes associated with SDG governance and reporting.

The role of accounting education as a conduit for SDGs adoption

The RMIT Accounting Educators’ Conference will be held in hybrid mode at the offices of CPA Australia, Melbourne on Monday 28th Nov 2022. The theme of the conference this year is “The role of accounting education as a conduit for Sustainable Development Goals’ (SDGs) adoption.

A breath of fresh air

RMIT is partnering up with EIT Urban Mobility and FutureLearn to launch a series of free online courses that answer the question: How can we improve air quality in our cities? The courses will launch on 22 September 2022, in accordance with World Car Free Day, and we invite you to join us!

Sustainability and SDGs Annual Report for 2021

RMIT has released its Sustainability Annual Report and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Impact Report for 2021. These reports reflect our commitment to accountability and transparency regarding the way our learning and teaching, research and innovation, and operations impact the environment and society.

Load more +

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.

More information

Achieving the SDGs: Evaluating indicators to be used to benchmark and monitor progress towards creating healthy and sustainable cities.