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

Asia-Pacific Network of Transport and Logistics Education and Research

ANTLER 2003 J

Asia-Pacific Tourism Exchange Centre

APTEC 1995 Nara Japan G

Asia-Pacific University - Community Engagement Network

APUCEN 2011 Penang Malaysia F

Asia/Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO

ACCU 1971 Tokyo Japan E

AsiaFlux

1999 Ibaraki Japan F

Asian Academy for Heritage Management

AAHM 2001 Bangkok Thailand E y

Asian Aid Organization

1966 Wauchope NSW Australia G

Asian and Pacific Association for Social Work Education

APASWE 1974 D

Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology

APCTT 1977 Delhi India E g

Asian Association of Hair Restoration Surgeons

AAHRS 2010 Seoul Korea Rep D

Asian Association of Women's Studies

AAWS 2007 Seoul Korea Rep D

Asian Center for Population and Community Development

ACPD 1978 Bangkok Thailand G

Asian Centre for Soil Improvement and Geosynthetics

ACSIG Pathum Thani Thailand G

Asian Cities Against Drugs

ASCAD Melaka Malaysia J

Asian Coalition for Housing Rights

ACHR 1988 Bangkok Thailand F

Asian Community Health Action Network

ACHAN 1980 Chennai India F

Asian Community Trust

ACT 1979 Tokyo Japan G f

Asian Conference on Safety and Education in Laboratory

ACSEL 2013 S c

Asian Consortium for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Microbial Resources

ACM 2004 Tokyo Japan D

Asian Cycling Confederation

ACC Seoul Korea Rep D

Asian Disaster Reduction Center

ADRC 1998 Kobe Japan E y

Asian Ecotourism Network

AEN Bangkok Thailand F

Asian Fisheries Social Science Research Network

AFSSRN 1983 Serdang Malaysia F

Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development

FORUM-ASIA 1991 Bangkok Thailand F

Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development

AFPPD 1981 Tokyo Japan F y

Asian Institute of Low Carbon Design

AILCD Kitakyushu Japan J

Asian Institute of Technology

AIT 1967 Pathum Thani Thailand F j

Asian Institute of Technology Alumni Association

AITAA 1969 Pathum Thani Thailand E j

Asian Institute of Transport Development

AITD 1989 Delhi India G j

Asian Marine Conservation Association

AMCA 1988 Kolkata India G v

Asian Mayors Forum

AMF 2007 Teheran Iran Islamic Rep F

Asian Network for Prevention of Illegal Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes

2003 Tokyo Japan F g

Asian Network of Training and Research Institutions in Educational Planning

ANTRIEP 1995 Delhi India F

Asian Network of Women's Shelters

ANWS 2012 New Taipei City Taiwan F

Asian NGO Coalition for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development

ANGOC 1979 Quezon City Philippines D y

Asian Nuclear Safety Network

ANSN 2002 Vienna Austria F g

Asian Planning Schools Association

APSA 1993 Tokyo Japan D

Asian Professional Security Association

APSA 1994 Petaling Jaya Malaysia D t

Asian Raptor Research and Conservation Network

ARRCN 1998 Yasu Japan F

Asian Regional Association for Career Development

ARACD 1970 Sapporo Japan D

Asian Regional Exchange for New Alternatives

ARENA 1983 F

Asian Rural Institute - Rural Leaders Training Center

ARI 1973 Nasushiobara Japan E j

Asian Rural Sociology Association

ARSA 1992 Santa Cruz Philippines D

Asian Society of Conservation Medicine

ASCM 2005 D

Asian Society of Lifestyle Medicine

ASLM Tsuen Wan Hong Kong D

Asian Urban Information Center of Kobe

AUICK 1989 Kobe Japan G

Asian Urban Research Association

AURA 1986 Shippensburg PA USA E

Asian Urban Research Group

AURG 1989 F

Asian-Pacific City Summit

Fukuoka Japan S cg

ASIS International

1955 Alexandria VA USA G v

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