Lamia Kamal-Chaoui
Moderator
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), set forth by the United Nations in the 2030 Agenda, are more than a checklist for compliance, they offer a framework to guide policy formulation and implementation and to promote innovative policy paradigms.
In this context, local and regional governments are increasingly acknowledged as crucial actors for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, since 105 out of the 169 SDG targets will not be achieved without their engagement. Cities and regions are often the first responders in times of crisis, possessing invaluable knowledge, networks, and resources to address immediate needs and build long-term sustainable and resilient societies.
Although countries, cities and regions are not on track to achieve the SDGs by 2030, with only 15% of the SDGs targets achieved, the good news is that many sub-national governments across the world have already been anchoring sustainability through the SDGs lens in their territorial development strategies, plans and programmes, including by developing Voluntary Local Reviews (VRLs). Taking stock of those localised SDGs action is essential to understand progress, define lessons, good practices, and the way forward until 2030 and beyond.
The event will launch an OECD-UN-Habitat initiative to take stock of lessons from almost ten years of SDGs localization efforts. It will provide guidance on how policymakers in cities, regions and countries can move forward with the implementation of the SDGs and use them as a tool for better policies and better lives from now to 2030. The stocktaking will cover five main components: (1) Policies and Strategies; (2) Multi-level Governance; (3) Financing and Budgeting; (4) Data and Information; and (5) Stakeholder Engagement.
The session will highlight the importance of place-based policies for the SDGs and policy alignment between different levels of government, to avoid duplication and work in silos. It will also discuss how to strengthen local data for evidence-based decision making as subnational governments need to know where they stand to achieve the 2030 Agenda. Evidence regarding their distance to the SDGs is crucial to redefine priorities, budget the necessary resources, align plans, and redirect actions.
Further, the event will analyse the challange of financing SDGs localization, since local and regional governments often have limited capacity to mobilise funding and struggle in attracting investments due to weak project bankability.
Finally, the event will bring together key stakeholders from cities and regions, national governments, the private sector, academia, and international organizations to brainstorm on how the findings and the lessons learned from the OECD-UN-Habitat stock take can inform and shape the post-2030 debate, placing the SDGs localisation framework and actions at its center.
· Take stock and draw lessons from almost 10 years of SDGs localisation efforts to build collective understanding with local, regional and national governments of where they stand, what works, what does not, how things can be improved, and who can do what to help cities and regions achieve the SDGs by 2030.
· Share and discuss evidence on where subnational governments stand to achieve the SDGs to help them define priorities, budget, and redirect action.
· Discuss the post-2030 Agenda framework based on the key findings, lessons, and recommendations from 10 years of SDGs localization.
· Engage with partners at the local, national, and international level to discuss and strengthen the SDG localisation and foster momentum and dialogue for its promotion, including beyond 2030. The event will also inform the WUF Dialogue 3, Stronger Together.