Dashboard map for 2022 SDG Index Goal #11 ratings. Data source: sdgindex.org
Proportion of urban population living in slums (%)
The definition of a slum is a group of people living under the same roof without access to one, or a combination of:
improved water source
improved sanitation source
sufficient living area
housing durability
security of tenure
Over a billion people remain in slum conditions, compounded by a rural flight of migration to urban settlements. As such, for those living in poor countries to uproot a precarious rural existence to seek opportunities in a city may result in living in slum conditions.
We’ve seen in earlier chapters how slum conditions can breed malnutrition because of poor sanitation, resulting in disease, and hindering the intake of nutrients. Further yet, because of vulnerable land tenure, residents may be preyed upon by authorities for slum clearance.
How to solve a problem ensnaring a billion people at the individual level? DAC aid comes into play, rather than the responsibility being levelled at the feet of those living in slums amidst extreme poverty. We may think of Tokyo, or any metropolis in Japan or South Korea as an extreme example of urban living, yet none of these human settlements meets any of the above criteria. To expand on the condition of ‘sufficient living area’, the definition is more than three people sharing the same habitable room.
All countries scoring red or orange for this indicator in the 2022 Index are developing countries. The most unifying way to curtail the population living in slums is foreign aid, as in essence slums are a symptom of poverty.
Summary: For OECD country readers, affirm your annual commitment to give 0.7% of your gross income as aid, aiming to end slum living by 2030.
Annual mean concentration of particulate matter of less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5) (μg/m³)
A topic we touched on in the chapter for SDG #3, this indicator measures particles in the air with a diameter of 2.5 microns (PM2.5), a micron being a thousandth of a millimetre. This is small enough to make its way through our airways, penetrating the gas exchange pockets of our lungs. Sometimes the particles lead into our circulatory system, which over the long term, is bad.
The indicator measures how much PM2.5 is in the atmosphere per cubic metre for an urban population on average for the year. The 2030 aim is to reduce such particulates to 6.3 micrograms (a millionth of a gram, expressed by the symbol ‘μg’) per cubic metre. There are other particle sizes of different diameters of micrometres which affect us, some larger than PM2.5, others ultrafine particles at the scale of nanometres in diameter. Some of the particulates are natural (from volcanoes, dust storms and wildfires) yet others are man-made hazards. Furthermore, particulates affect rainfall and solar radiation, which has climatic effects.
The microscopic matter suspended in the air people are breathing in countries with red scores is killing them. Particulates are a Group 1 carcinogen, and can cause heart attacks and lung diseases, including asthma and lung cancer. As PM2.5 can penetrate our blood vessels, it can even result in atherosclerosis, whereby artery walls develop lesions.
Some countries have set limits on PM2.5, and Australia, Canada and the US have had success, scoring green in the 2022 Index, whereas the individual EU member states, despite EU emission standards, have mixed.
Summary: For readers in countries off-track, reduce the release of particulate matter in the air, including dust, smoke and burning fossil fuels.
Access to improved water source, piped (% of urban population)
You’ll recognise the similarity of this indicator to some of the topics discussed within SDG #6 (Clean Water & Sanitation). The definition of an improved water source is protected from contamination, especially human faeces, and is piped to the premises. The distinction of piping to the premises contrasts with sources more familiar to rural settings:
public taps
standpipes
wells
boreholes
springs
rainwater collection
This indicator aims for 100% of urban populations to have access to such improved water sources, piped to the premises, by 2030.
What to do for the low-income and lower-middle-income countries scoring red? We must transfer wealth, resources, and knowledge. Can we expect much from those living in the desperation of teeming, steaming metropolises? With low levels of income, education, and health, how can they figure out how to navigate the urban jungle to find a water source free from contamination?
We must correspond to this reality with aid. You must be so fed-up reading this again, but this is our global status quo. Modern conveniences the developed world affords in surplus will surround most readers - others live in cities which have water in their home with shit in it.
Summary: For OECD country readers, affirm your annual commitment to give 0.7% of your gross income as aid, aiming for access to all for a piped, improved water source.
Satisfaction with public transport (%)
The threshold for this indicator is a question posed to a survey respondent: "In the city or area where you live, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the public transportation systems?" For this question, the 2030 aim is for 82.6% of a surveyed population to respond ‘satisfied’.
It’s difficult to perceive how an individual could improve the quality of public transport, being public and infrastructural as it is. Different countries and regions have different models for how to manage and finance public transport - in some localities, this is by fares, free public transport, or government taxation.
There could be many reasons a surveyed population may deem public transport unsatisfactory, whether due to issues with the public transport timetable, or any configuration of drawbacks. Individuals are unable to shape their satisfaction with public transport. They can lower their expectations, though we want to use a better mechanism to get our desired outcome. Only the government - as demanded by its citizens - can fix this public good.
The mechanism we’ll use is to contact a government representative to request improvements, communicating such needs at the level of government in which public transportation operates in the city or region where you live.
Summary: For readers in countries off-track, contact your government to request public transport improvements.
Population with rent overburden (%) *
The definition of rent overburden for this indicator is total housing costs greater than 40% of disposable income, with a 2030 aim of 4.6% or less of the population living with rent overburden. None of the OECD countries measured in this indicator have scored red in the 2022 Index.
An individual experiencing rent overburden could move to another area e.g., a rural community, which is a dramatic departure to suggest, and could entail being distant from family, social networks, and job opportunities. If someone associates their local neighbourhood or city as their home, it’s a bit rich to suggest someone move out of town altogether to avoid rent overburden.
Another path one could take to remedy rent overburden is to attempt to increase one’s disposable income to fall below the threshold of 40% disposable income toward the housing costs.
Summary: For readers in countries off-track:
attempt to increase income so your rent is less than 40% of your disposable income
relocate to a rental property where the cost is less than 40% of your disposable income
consider whether home ownership is a feasible reality