HOUSING WILL PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN REALIZING THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGs).

ESV Ene Edward,

The duty of realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) rests upon us collectively as a society and professionals, and as we near the conclusion of 2023, there is every need for professionals across industries and the world regions to work towards the realizationof the SDGs in order to make the world a better place for all of us to live.

Bridging infrastructural gaps, especially in Less Developed Countries (LDCs) of the world is arguably one of the ways to meet the SDGs. Housing is an essential part of the 20230 agenda for Sustainable Development t Goals (SDGs).  When the goal of Sustainable Cities and Communities is achieved, as captured in SDG number eleven, so many other goals will be easily achieved. Simply put, this goal is an essential driver and catalyst for other goals to be achieved. It comes with so many economic opportunities that will engender growth and development in other key sectors of the global economy.

Across the world, government policies towards adequate and affordable housing have so many far-reaching effects that facilitates the achievement of so many goals aimed at improving the welfare of the fast growing global population .Meeting the housing and infrastructural needs of the global population is a good starting point for action, research, and analysis for ascertaining housing impacts through the SDGs monitoring framework of targets, indicators, and forecasting.

Housing is a direct contributor to so many SDGs, and this is the reason development experts have described it as one of the key SDGs, if not the most important.  It contributes directly and indirectly to most SDGs. Housing is a platform of driving human capital development when quality and affordable housing is provided.  The multiplier effect that comes with adequate and affordable housing is huge and all-encompassing-jobs are created, incomes made, improvement in households’ financial stability, just to mention a few.  In summary, housing is “sine qua non” for inclusive, equitable, safe, smart, resilient, and sustainable cities anywhere in the world.

To achieve global housing needs, the government at all levels, the private sector, and multilateral organizations must play multidimensional roles. Professionals in the built environment have  quality control roles to play in this regard.

ESV Ene Edward Edet,  a registered Estate Surveyor and Valuer is the Principal Partner Ene Associates (Estate Surveyors & Valuers). He Wrote from Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State.