Public-Talk #6. PROMOTING SDG 11: SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND URBANIZATION – BY MS. KSENIIA NIFONTOVA, 13 OCTOBER, 2022

Area: Sustainable Cities, Urban Development, Accessibility and Inclusion, Urban Studies, Global Problems
Speaker: Kseniia Nifontova, MA in Urban Planning and Spatial Development, Researcher, GIS Analyst and Urban Mobility Expert. Worked as Transport Consultant, Transport Planner and Analyst on urban design projects. Taught a ‘Basics of Pedestrian and Cycling Infrastructure Design’ Course for Master's students in Urban Studies at Higher School of Economics (Moscow).
Source: Release and Post Release

OVERVIEW

Several topics around urbanization and sustainable cities were covered, all working to give the viewer a greater understanding of urban development and how it has been used in conjunction with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Kseniia also said that the topic of Urban Mobility is of importance in today’s society.
Urbanization provides the potential for new forms of social inclusion, including greater equality, access to services and new opportunities, and engagement and mobilization that reflects the diversity of cities, countries and the globe. Yet too often this is not the shape of urban development. Inequality and exclusion abound, often at rates greater than the national average, at the expense of sustainable development that delivers for all. 
Cities around the world are trying to find ways to reclaim their streets for people, for walking, biking, and scootering from point to point. The goal is to make cities safer, cleaner, and more fun while reducing or eliminating altogether the number of cars and trucks that have dominated urban landscapes for almost a century. 
Kseniia pointed out that she encourages students to attend public forums that deal with sustainable life issues.