Cities are a core component of the UN’s 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development. This mini-series is a companion piece to the SDG Academy's full-length Sustainable Cities course (also covered on planthro BIBLIO) and also serves as a brief introduction to the topic of urban sustainable development and the SDGs.

From the inclusion of SDG 11 to the emphasis on subnational actors, cities are increasingly recognized as key players in achieving the SDGs. In these five lectures aptly titled, Cities and the Challenge of Sustainable Development, Professor Jeffrey Sachs asks the questions: What does it mean to be a ‘sustainable city’ in the 21st century? And what types of challenges do local governments face in adapting to new technologies, energy systems, modes of transportation and more?