Visit wrap-up: Global cities expert Aromar Revi

SDSN Australia/Pacific and its members Curtin University Sustainability Policy (CUSP) Institute, Monash University, The University of Melbourne, RMIT University, and the Australian Council for International Development had the pleasure of hosting global urban sustainable development expert and SDSN Co-Chair Aromar Revi in Australia in early May.

Aromar is the Director of the Indian Institute of Human Settlements and also co-chairs SDSN’s Sustainable Cities Thematic Network. He is one of the key champions behind the “Urban” Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 11).

In a full schedule that covered Perth, Melbourne and Canberra, Aromar presented a number of public lectures and a DFAT-RDI seminar; participated in research and policy roundtables; met with senior policy makers at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the Victorian Government and the City of Melbourne; and gave several media interviews.

The main areas for discussion included,

• The scale of recent and projected global urban growth and the huge challenges for sustainable development that it presents
• How Australia compares to the rest of the world in urban sustainability
• The importance of the spatial dimension in addressing poverty and inequality.
• The new UN Sustainable Development Goals and how they could stimulate new ways of thinking and doing in urban governance and management for sustainable development
• How research and universities can help advance urban sustainable development, including through SDSN

To find out more please go to:

• Video: Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals: the role of cities and citizens – public lecture hosted by Curtin University Sustainability Policy (CUSP) Institute
• Video: The role of cities in solving the world’s sustainable development challenges – public lecture hosted by the Monash Sustainability Institute and SDSN Australia/Pacific
• Summary: Creating inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities – researcher roundtable co-hosted by the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, the Monash Sustainability Institute and RMIT University.
• Radio interview: Why Australian cities need to change as they grow – Radio National Afternoons
• Radio interview: Speaking with James Lush on 720 ABC Perth Breakfast
• On Twitter: #UrbanSDG

Aromar was visiting Australia courtesy of the Australian Water Association to give a keynote address at the OzWater’16 Conference.