Seven Transformations for More Equitable and Sustainable Cities

This synthesis report from the World Resources Institute, based on six years of research and contributions from over 160 authors, argues that prioritizing equitable access to core urban services is essential for economic prosperity, environmental protection, and improved livelihoods. It proposes a shift in urban development metrics to focus on the quality, reliability, and affordability of essential services to address the needs of marginalized populations.

• A significant portion of the global urban population lacks essential services, with over 1.2 billion city dwellers—representing one in three people globally and two in three in low-income countries—classified as "under-served."
• Traditional poverty measures are insufficient for the current urban context; in 15 major cities in the global south, nearly half the population lacks reliable piped water, and 62% of sewage and fecal sludge is managed unsafely.
• Energy access is a critical gap in low-income countries, where 42% of the urban population lacks electricity. Some cities in Africa experience daily power outages, while some in South Asia experience up to 25 per month.
• Urban transport and employment are characterized by significant inequities: while low-income commuters rely on walking, cycling, and public transport, cars and trucks typically occupy up to 95% of road space. Additionally, 50-80% of employment in Global South cities—totaling two billion workers—is within the "informal" economy.
• The report identifies seven necessary urban transformations across governance, finance, land management, urban employment, data collection, service provision, and infrastructure design and delivery.

APA

World Resources Institute (2021). Seven Transformations for More Equitable and Sustainable Cities. https://www.wri.org/research/7-transformations-more-equitable-sustainable-cities

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Seven Transformations for More Equitable and Sustainable Cities. 2021. https://www.wri.org/research/7-transformations-more-equitable-sustainable-cities.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Seven Transformations for More Equitable and Sustainable Cities |date=19 October 2021 |url=https://www.wri.org/research/7-transformations-more-equitable-sustainable-cities |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2021seven, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Seven Transformations for More Equitable and Sustainable Cities}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2021}, month = oct, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/7-transformations-more-equitable-sustainable-cities}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }