Global Civil Society & the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Goal 11: Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

Sustainable Cities & Communities


Cities are hubs for ideas, commerce, culture, science, productivity, social development and much more. At their best, cities have enabled people to advance socially and economically. With the number of people living within cities projected to rise to 5 billion people by 2030, it’s important that efficient urban planning and management practices are in place to deal with the challenges brought by urbanization.

Many challenges exist to maintaining cities in a way that continues to create jobs and prosperity without straining land and resources. Common urban challenges include congestion, lack of funds to provide basic services, a shortage of adequate housing, declining infrastructure and rising air pollution within cities.

Rapid urbanization challenges, such as the safe removal and management of solid waste within cities, can be overcome in ways that allow them to continue to thrive and grow, while improving resource use and reducing pollution and poverty. One such example is an increase in municipal waste collection. There needs to be a future in which cities provide opportunities for all, with access to basic services, energy, housing, transportation and more.

Name Acronym Founded City HQ Country/Territory HQ Type I Type II

Agreement Regarding Tourist Traffic

1938 T g

Agreement Respecting the Whangpoo Conservancy

1905 T g

Agreement to Facilitate the Sanitary Control of Traffic

1955 T g

Agreement to Promote Compliance with the International Conservation and Management Measures by Fishing Vessels on the High Seas

1993 Rome Italy T g

Agroecology Fund

AEF 2012 F f

Aid To Southeast Asia

ASA 1989 Minneapolis MN USA G

Aide internationale au développement et à l'enfance

AIDE Aublain Belgium G

AIP Foundation

1999 Hanoi Vietnam F f

Air Pollution & Climate Secretariat

AirClim 1982 Gothenburg Sweden G

Air Transport Action Group

ATAG 1990 Geneva Switzerland E y

Air Transport Research Society

ATRS 1995 College Park MD USA E

Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Working Group

ARFFWG Grapevine TX USA G

Airlines for Europe

A4E 2016 Brussels Belgium F

Airport Regions Council

ARC 1994 Brussels Belgium F

Airports Council International

ACI 1991 Montréal QC Canada B y

Airship Heritage Trust

AHT 1985 Radcliffe-on-Trent UK N

AJS and Matchless Owners Club

1952 Kettering UK N

Akademie für Raumforschung und Landesplanung

ARL 1946 Hannover Germany G

Al Furqan Islamic Heritage Foundation

1988 London UK G f

Albert Schweitzer Fellowship

1939 Boston MA USA G

Albertine Rift Conservation Society

ARCOS 1995 Cambridge UK E

Alianza Eurolatinoamericana de Cooperación entre Ciudades

AL-LAs 2013 Mexico City Mexico C

Alianza Global del Ombudsperson Local

AGOL 2019 Alcala de Henares Spain D

All Africa Baptist Fellowship

AABF 1982 Ibadan Nigeria E

All Hands Volunteers

2004 Mattapoisett MA USA G

All We Can

1946 London UK G f

ALLEA - ALL European Academies

1994 Berlin Germany F

Alliance de Villes Euro-méditerranéennes de Culture

AVEC 1997 Arles France D

Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment

ACE 1995 Brussels Belgium F

Alliance for Communities in Action

ACA 1982 North Palm Beach FL USA N

Alliance for Consumer Fire Safety in Europe

ACFSE 1998 G

Alliance for Financial Inclusion

AFI 2008 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia F y

Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa

AFSA 2008 Kampala Uganda D

Alliance for Healthy Cities

2003 Tokyo Japan D

Alliance for Reform and Democracy in Asia

ARDA 2000 F

Alliance for Responsible Mining

ARM 2004 Medellin Colombia D

Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies

ASOP Global 2009 Washington DC USA G y

Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacy - EU

ASOP EU 2011 D y

Alliance for Synthetic Fuels in Europe

ASFE 2006 Brussels Belgium F

Alliance for the Freedom of Car Repair in the EU

AFCAR Brussels Belgium E y

Alliance for Zero Extinction

AZE 2005 The Plains VA USA C y

Alliance in the Alps

1997 Übersee Germany F g

Alliance internationale de tourisme

AIT 1898 Geneva Switzerland B

Alliance Internationale pour la défense des Droits et des Libertés

AIDL 2009 Paris France G

Alliance of Central Asian Mountain Communities

AGOCA 2003 Bishkek Kyrgyzstan D

Alliance of International Science Organizations

ANSO 2018 Beijing China C y

Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums

AMMPA 1987 Alexandria VA USA G y

Alliance of Rail New Entrants

ALLRAIL 2017 Brussels Belgium D

Alliance pour la Préservation des Forêts

APF Paris France G

Allied Command Operations

ACO 1951 Shape Belgium E g

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