Abstract
In line with the 2030 Agenda, measurement through indicators is recognised as a means to overcome economic, social and environmental challenges in favour of sustainable development. In this context, the Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG11) with its indicators, proposed at international, European and national level, constitutes the starting point for monitoring and implementing urban sustainable development. However, there is a need for measurements that go beyond conventional statistics, including data generated, collected and stored by governments as well as those provided by external data sources. In this context, the paper presents a literature review of indicators useful for measuring and evaluating urban sustainability. More specifically, the research aims to: i) build a framework of the official SDG11 indicators at a global, European and Italian national level; ii) identify possible “new” indicators related to SDG11 proposed in the scientific literature, in the Sustainable Development Strategies produced at the Italian level and in the Sustainability Protocols; iii) provide a set of indicators relevant and useful both for monitoring urban areas and for constructing and evaluating projects. The research result constitutes the first theoretical preliminary step of a research project of Relevant National Interest (PRIN), however it may constitute a repeatable methodological framework for the collection of indicators for other national urban contexts.