Cities will host two-thirds of the world population by 2050. Fundamental shifts are required to enable cities to accommodate the influx of people, the demands they will place on existing (and aging) infrastructure, and to respond appropriately to inhabitants’ basic needs for shelter and access to services like clean water and sanitation. They also need to provide places of safety, beauty, and connectivity.

Adrie Fourie

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) define our collective global developmental goals for the future. SDG11[1] calls for “new, intelligent urban planning that creates safe, affordable and resilient cities with green and culturally inspiring living conditions”. It is essential to balance this new paradigm shift with SDG3 which calls for good health and well-being for all, at all ages, with focus also falling on a need to identify ways to reduce mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and the promotion of mental health and well-being.

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