Over half of the population of the world live in urban areas. This means that efforts to meet human development goals and sustain economic growth must be concentrated in cities. However, the pursuit of more prosperous, inclusive and sustainable urban development is complicated by climate change, which multiplies existing environmental risks, undermines the effectiveness of...

Action by national governments is crucial for achieving sustainable, economically productive urban development. A range of benefits can be achieved through development focused on compact, accessible urban forms; clean and efficient urban transportation options; efficient building energy use and local clean energy solutions; and efficient urban waste management – all of which can also lower...