Sustainable Urban Infrastructure Could Generate US$3.7 Trillion Annual Windfall in 2030

The report has suggested that of the 170 million jobs that could be created by 2030, 32 million of them may be in Africa and around 96 million in Asia

The ‘Valuing the SDG Prize In Cities’ report has been produced on behalf of the Business & Sustainable Development Commission. The release of the report coincides with the C40 Mayors Summit in Mexico City (30 November to 2 December).

Overview of the report:

• Companies pushing sustainable urban infrastructure could create US$3.7 Trillion Annual Windfall by 2030 in cities with an annual investment of US$2.5 trillion in sustainable business models.
• 16 opportunity areas identified, including affordable housing, energy efficiency in buildings, improved mobility systems, building resilient cities, smart metering, modular and timber buildings, water infrastructure and cultural tourism. Researchers estimate a range of value for each opportunity; the lowest in the range is US$20 billion per year for durable and modular buildings while the highest goes up to US$1.1 trillion per year for affordable housing.
• Sustainable business models could also generate 170 million jobs by unlocking opportunities in these 16 areas, including affordable housing, energy efficiency in buildings, and public transport.
• Of the 170 million jobs that could be created by 2030, 85% could be in developing countries, including 32 million in Africa and around 96 million in Asia.
• To open these opportunities, companies need to operationalise sustainability across their supply chains and internalise social and environmental costs.