SDG11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

Why it matters

SDG 11 strives to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. Nevertheless, the global pandemic has brought about significant changes in migration patterns, resulting in substantial population movements both in and out of urban areas. Additionally, cities are facing disproportionate impacts from climate change and conflicts. These combined factors highlight the considerable challenges in attaining the objective of sustainable cities.

The industry’s contribution

Mobile technology contributes to SDG 11 by improving quality of life, efficiency of urban operation and services, and competitiveness while ensuring smart cities meet the environmental and social needs of current and future generations. Cities both large and small are embracing this view, driven by government policy and pressure from citizens.^[50]

For example, mobile operators and their partners are developing intelligent transport system solutions that optimise traffic and reduce CO₂ emissions (such as the public-private partnership between the City of Sacramento and Verizon). Over the past few years, there has also been a significant improvement in the availability of affordable air-quality monitoring devices for commercial use. This has enabled large-scale deployments at a reasonable cost, thereby helping public administrations to manage and evaluate the quality of the air.

The mobile industry also contributes to SDG 11 by reducing the number of deaths and number of people affected by disasters. As well as enabling communications and access to information, mobile networks can support drones at emergency response sites that assess damage in the aftermath of sudden onset events. For example, aerial images from drones can help emergency services and humanitarian organisations make decisions on the number of personnel and amount of equipment needed. Drones can also be equipped with thermal cameras and IoT sensors (e.g. gas and temperature sensors) to provide continuous, real-time updates.

SDG 11 mobile impact score

Source: GSMA Intelligence

Maximising mobile’s impact by 2030

Recent socio-political challenges, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, have raised new questions for cities and communities. The challenge is not just about sustainability and quality of life; it is also about the ability to respond to emergencies and crises. To tackle this, investments in smart cities will need to grow. Innovation is required in terms of public-private funding, governance models, city operations management and co-creation processes for smart city development.

As the 2030 dateline for achieving the SDG goals advances on the Mobile Industry and the world at large, the Axiata Group echoes the clarion call for expediency and the acceleration of focused initiatives towards delivering material and sustainable impacts. The delivery of Axiata’s Sustainable Development agenda is paced and measured through the Axiata Sustainability Framework which in turn incorporates the 2030 SDG based global priorities of the UN. The leverage of the power of inclusive mobile connectivity and the augmentation of its impact through IR4.0 technologies to address global challenges, is a central theme within the Axiata Sustainability Framework. We recognise that the mobile industry will play a foundational as well as pivotal role in shaping the impact of technology on people, planet and economy. At Axiata, while we are uniquely empowered through the technologies we lever, we also stand accountable for impact across the communities we serve, and remain singularly committed to the precepts of inclusion, climate action, positive social impact and the adoption of responsible and ethical practices across our ever-expanding digital value chain.”

Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, CEO of the Telecommunications Business and Group Executive Vice President, Axiata Group

Case Studies