UN data show transit gains as cities lose public-space access
New United Nations data show a mixed picture for cities: more residents gained convenient access to public transport between 2020 and 2025, but access to nearby open public space declined while housing pressures remained severe.
The findings were released July 9, 2026, as part of the U.N.’s latest Sustainable Development Goal 11 reporting. They were followed by the General Assembly’s July 16–17 midterm review of the New Urban Agenda, which ended with adoption of a political declaration renewing international commitments on sustainable urbanization.
Together, the developments point to a practical policy problem for cities: transport, housing, public space, climate resilience, local authority and municipal finance cannot be planned as separate issues.
Transit access improved, but capacity remains uneven
In a sample of 412 cities across 127 countries, the share of urban residents with convenient access to public transport rose from 53.2% in 2020 to 61.5% in 2025, according to the U.N. Statistics Division’s 2026 SDG 11 data.
The figure is not a universal estimate for every city. It reflects the countries and cities included in the U.N. methodology, and access does not necessarily mean that a service is frequent, fast, reliable, safe or affordable.
The composition of available systems also matters. Buses accounted for 78% of the public-transit options recorded in the data, compared with 22% for higher-capacity systems such as rail and metro. The comparison is not a blanket judgment against buses. It highlights continuing questions about investment, network capacity, integration and the ability to meet rising demand.
The U.N. said progress remains especially weak in sub-Saharan Africa and other fast-growing or lower-income regions. For residents, gaps in service can mean longer commutes, weaker access to jobs and schools, higher household transportation costs and greater exposure to traffic-related pollution.
Open-space access moved in the opposite direction
The urban land-use figures were less encouraging. In a separate sample of 414 cities across 126 countries, only 17% of urban land was allocated to streets and public open spaces. The figure was below the U.N.-referenced planning benchmark of 30% to 45%, a recommended range rather than a binding international requirement.
The share of residents living within 400 meters of an open public space fell from 48.0% in 2020 to 45.9% in 2025.
The measure is precise: it concerns proximity to open public space, not general park access or total green-space coverage. Even so, the decline matters for recreation, health, neighborhood equity and cities’ ability to provide shade and relief during extreme heat.
The same U.N. data show a modest improvement in land-use efficiency: between 2020 and 2025, annual urban land consumption and population-growth rates were nearly in step. But that progress did not prevent public-space access from worsening, illustrating how city growth can become more compact while still leaving residents with fewer nearby shared spaces.
Housing connects the pressures
Housing remains the foundation beneath many of these urban challenges. The U.N.’s 2026 SDG 11 release estimates that about 1.16 billion urban residents lived in slums or informal settlements in 2024, or 24.8% of the world’s urban population.
Where housing is unaffordable or services are missing, residents may be pushed farther from jobs, schools, transit and public amenities. Informal growth can also outpace drainage, roads, sanitation and disaster protection. A city may therefore improve transport access in aggregate while many households still face difficult and costly daily travel.
What the General Assembly review changed
During the July 16–17 midterm review of the New Urban Agenda, the General Assembly considered draft resolution A/80/L.89, titled the Political Declaration to Renew Commitment and Accelerate the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
The Assembly adopted the declaration on July 16 by a recorded vote of 148 in favor, two against and no abstentions. The outcome renewed political commitments on adequate housing, inclusive and resilient cities, stronger local and regional governments, sustainable-urbanization finance, data and partnerships.
The declaration is a political commitment, not a newly created binding international investment program. Its practical significance will depend on whether national governments, development institutions and city authorities convert its priorities into budgets, housing programs, transit improvements, public-space protections and climate-resilience projects.
U.N. officials framed the review around the gap between urban responsibilities and local capacity. Cities are expected to manage rapid growth, housing shortages, infrastructure demands and climate shocks, but many local governments lack sufficient authority, data or access to finance.
Why the findings matter beyond the U.N.
For residents, transit access affects commuting time, job opportunities, household costs, safety and exposure to pollution. For parents and older people, nearby public space can affect recreation, health and daily social connection. For renters and low-income households, housing location often determines whether those services are realistically reachable.
For businesses, unreliable transport can narrow the labor pool and raise delivery and commuting costs. For city governments, the competing demands are financial as well as physical: land and funding must support homes, streets, transit, drainage, parks, schools and protection from heat, flooding and other climate risks.
The U.N. findings therefore do not describe a single global urban trend. They show progress in one measure of access alongside continuing weaknesses in capacity, affordability and the distribution of public amenities.
What happens next
The next test is implementation. Residents and local officials should watch whether governments set measurable targets for housing affordability, transit reliability and safety, access to open public space, climate resilience and service coverage.
They should also watch how responsibilities and money are divided. The New Urban Agenda declaration calls for stronger local implementation, but city governments cannot deliver integrated planning without predictable revenue, usable data, coordination across agencies and national policies that support local action.
The central lesson from the 2026 review is straightforward: expanding access to one service is not enough if housing, mobility, public space and infrastructure remain disconnected. Cities made some measurable transit gains, but the broader urban-policy challenge is whether those gains can be turned into reliable daily services and more equitable neighborhoods.
Sources
- United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Goal 11 data
- U.N. General Assembly plenary transcript
- UN-Habitat, 2026 New Urban Agenda midterm review
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