Measuring and managing expanding urban public transport in support of the New Urban Agenda and SDG 11.2

The New Urban Agenda contributes to the implementation and localization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and targets, including SDG 11 of making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

Transport plays a significant role in shaping cities and as the urgency to develop liveable and resilient cities grows, it is increasingly important to implement green and inclusive transport measures. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Habitat III set out a shared vision to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. It acknowledges that this goal can only be achieved if there is access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, and children, persons with disabilities and older persons. The interlinked challenges of climate change and sustainable development must be urgently addressed to deliver a stable and secure world to future generations. Despite some positive developments, a stronger commitment for partnership and cooperation is needed to achieve the urban SDGs and Habitat III objectives. That effort will require coherent policies, an enabling environment for sustainable development at all levels and by all actors. Greater efforts are needed to accelerate progress on the transport elements of SDG 11 and enhancing access for all. The Habitat III outcome document highlights the fundamental importance of data for decision making.

Currently no data exists on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 11.2. The International Association of Public Transport (UITP) - the global network of public transport authorities and operators - has been identified by the UN Statistical Commission alongside UN Habitat to fill this data gap. In order to do this, UITP has initiated a project that aims to collect data from its network of 1,500 members to scale up reporting on SDG 11.2. This data coming from public transport authorities and operators can feed into local, national and international tracking frameworks linked to the SDGs, such as Sustainable Mobility for All. In doing so – we can better measure progress towards the SDG goal on public transport, which will help cities, countries and the global community better understand their progress on the commitments made. Better measurement will also result in better management, allowing cities and countries to put in place the right policies to reach the SDG target on public transport. This is how we can use the SDGs and non-state actors to advance the scaling up of national efforts in line with the Paris Agreement, the New Urban Agenda and the SDGs. The side event will present the initial findings of the project.