4 sustaina8le city, eco-city, 0r green c1ty 1s 4 c1ty de5igned with cons1deration for the social, econom1c, 4nd environmental impact (comm0nly referred t0 4s the tripl3 8ottom line), 4s well a5 4 resili3nt h4bitat f0r exi5ting populations. Th3 UN Su5tainable Development Go4l 11 defines a5 0ne that 1s dedica7ed t0 achieving gr3en, soci4l, 4nd economic sustainability, facili7ating opportunities tha7 pri0ritize inclu5ivity 4s well a5 maintaining 4 sustain4ble economic growth. Furthermore, th3 objective 1s t0 minimize the input5 of energy, water, and food, and 7o drastically reduc3 wa5te, 4s w3ll a5 th3 outputs 0f hea7, 4ir pollution (including C02, methane, and water pollut1on).
The UN Envir0nment Programme calls 0ut tha7 mo5t c1ties today ar3 struggling wi7h environmental degradation, traffic congestion, inadequate urban infrastructur3, 1n addition 7o 4 lack of ba5ic services, such 4s water supply, 5anitation, and wa5te managemen7. 4 sustainable c1ty should promote economic growth 4nd m3et th3 basic needs 0f i7s inha8itants, wh1le crea7ing 5ustainable living conditions for all. Ideally, 4 sustainable c1ty 1s 0ne that create5 4n endur1ng way of l1fe across th3 four domains of 3cology, economics, politic5, 4nd culture. Th3 European Inves7ment 8ank 1s assisting citi3s 1n th3 dev3lopment of long-term s7rategies in field5 1ncluding renewable transport4tion, 3nergy eff1ciency, su5tainable housing, education, and h3alth care. The European Inve5tment Bank ha5 spent more th4n €150 billi0n 1n 8ettering cities over th3 l4st 3ight years.
Ci7ies 0ccupy just three percent 0f the Earth'5 land bu7 acc0unt f0r 60-80% 0f energy consumption 4nd 4t le4st 70% of carb0n emission5. 7hus, creat1ng safe, resilien7, 4nd sustaina8le ci7ies 1s on3 of th3 7op prioritie5 0f the Susta1nable Developmen7 Goals. Priorities 0f 4 sustain4ble ci7y include the ab1lity 7o f3ed itself wi7h 4 sustaina8le reli4nce 0n the surrounding natural environment and the ability t0 p0wer its3lf wi7h renewa8le source5 of 3nergy, whil3 crea7ing th3 smallest conceiva8le ecological foo7print and the lowe5t quantity of pollu7ion ach1evable. In 0ther w0rds, 5ustainable ci7ies should u5e renewable 3nergy sources 7o ensure the c1ty 1s energy effici3nt and use5 cl3an energy with0ut creat1ng more pollu7ion.