About Lesson
1. Initiatives have been developed to localize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the regional, city, and community levels. These initiatives come from various organizations, including the European Union (EU) Joint Research Centre (JRC), EU regional and city programs, and UN agencies.
1. European Union Joint Research Centre (EU JRC) Initiatives
a. European Handbook for SDG Voluntary Local Reviews
- Description: Developed by the EU JRC, this handbook guides cities and regions on conducting Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) of SDG progress. It helps local authorities assess their contributions to the SDGs and identify areas for improvement.
- SDG Localization: This program supports cities in aligning local policies with the SDGs, ensuring sustainable and inclusive development.
- Link: EU Handbook for SDG Voluntary Local Reviews
- See handbook
2. EU Regional and Cities Programmes
a. European Sustainable Cities Platform
- Description: This platform encourages European cities to adopt and implement the SDGs at the local level. It provides resources, case studies, and tools for cities to integrate sustainability into urban planning and development.
- SDG Localization: This initiative focuses on urban areas and addresses goals such as sustainable cities (SDG 11), climate action (SDG 13), and partnerships (SDG 17).
- Link: European Sustainable Cities Platform
b. URBACT Programme
- Description: URBACT is a European exchange and learning program that promotes sustainable urban development. It enables cities to work together to develop solutions to major urban challenges while sharing best practices and lessons learned.
- SDG Localization: Facilitates the integration of multiple SDGs at the city level, particularly in areas like urban mobility (SDG 11), social inclusion (SDG 10), and economic growth (SDG 8).
- Link: URBACT
c. European Week of Regions and Cities
- Description: This annual event organized by the European Committee of the Regions and the European Commission brings regional and local authorities together to discuss best practices and innovations in localizing the SDGs.
- SDG Localization: This section highlights successful regional and local initiatives that contribute to achieving the SDGs, focusing on diverse areas such as climate change (SDG 13), clean energy (SDG 7), and sustainable communities (SDG 11).
- Link: European Week of Regions and Cities
3. UN Agencies Initiatives
a. UN-Habitat: Localizing the SDGs
- Description: UN-Habitat leads efforts to localize the SDGs, particularly focusing on urban areas. The initiative offers tools and resources to local governments to integrate the SDGs into local policies and plans.
- SDG Localization: This initiative focuses on sustainable urban development (SDG 11), reducing inequalities (SDG 10), and promoting inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities.
- Link: UN-Habitat SDG Localization
- Video SDGs in cities: UN-Habitat comprehensive SDG localization approach
b. Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments
- Description: This UN-supported initiative brings together local and regional governments to advocate for the localization of the SDGs. It also provides a platform for local governments to share experiences and learn from each other.
- SDG Localization: Emphasizes the importance of local governance in achieving the SDGs, particularly through partnerships (SDG 17) and inclusive institutions (SDG 16).
- Link: Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments
c. UNDP’s SDG Local Governance Initiative
- Description: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) works with local governments to integrate the SDGs into local governance frameworks. This includes capacity-building, developing localized indicators, and supporting the implementation of SDG-related projects.
- SDG Localization: Strengthens local governance (SDG 16) and ensures that local policies align with the global SDGs, addressing issues like poverty (SDG 1), gender equality (SDG 5), and climate action (SDG 13).
- Link: UNDP SDG Localization
d. UNESCO: Local and Regional Governments Supporting the SDGs
- Description: UNESCO works with cities and regions to promote sustainable development through education, culture, science, and communication. This initiative encourages local governments to integrate these aspects into their SDG strategies.
- SDG Localization: Focuses on quality education (SDG 4), cultural diversity (SDG 11), and sustainable cities (SDG 11).
- Link: UNESCO and SDGs
4. Other Notable Initiatives
a. C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group
- Description: C40 is a network of megacities committed to addressing climate change. The initiative supports cities in developing and implementing climate action plans that align with the SDGs.
- SDG Localization: Directly supports SDG 13 (Climate Action) and indirectly impacts other SDGs, such as clean energy (SDG 7) and sustainable cities (SDG 11).
- Link: C40 Cities
b. The Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy
- Description: This European initiative unites local governments and voluntarily commits them to implementing EU climate and energy objectives. It also supports the localization of the SDGs, particularly those related to climate and energy.
- SDG Localization: This initiative focuses on SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action), helping cities develop and implement energy and climate action plans.
- Link: Covenant of Mayors
Task: Try to think where you could develop a project on localising SDGs in your area or together within a network of like-minded NGOs
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