Local and Regional Governments Roundtable

Halfway to the deadline for the 2030 Agenda, we are leaving more than half the world behind. With only 17 per cent of the (Sustainable Development Goals) SDGs on track, unless we act now, the Agenda could become an epitaph for a world that might have been.

Six transformative Transitions, rooted in the 17 SDGs, can have catalytic and multiplier effects have been identified: food systems, energy access and affordability, digital connectivity, education, jobs and social protection, and climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. The paradigm shift of localization, anchored in multilevel governance and whole-of-society approaches to transform the SDGs into reality at the local level, is a key approach for delivering on these Transitions. In this process, local and regional governments and their associations have a critical role in advancing the SDGs and forging partnerships across levels and sectors. Although widely recognized, this acknowledgment has not yet translated into concrete support. Data, capacity and finance gaps are jeopardizing many of the advances local leaders and administrations have achieved over the past years of implementation. 

The Summit of the Future has produced a once-in-a-generation outcome document —Pact for the Future— which builds on the Transitions, placing the transformation of global governance at the centre of our collective pursuit of development and sustainability. In the spirit of Pact for the Future, the Localization Roundtable will examine why and how global governance should be transformed from the bottom-up. The session will focus on the implementation of localization at the country and city level to deliver comprehensively on the Transitions.

Representatives from various sectors will join local and national leaders in the discussion to stimulate an inspiring debate with different perspectives. A first exchange will be centred on the principles underlying the needed transformations, while the second panel will focus on concrete proposals for solutions and on how to scale up the process.

Linkage with WUF12 theme

The Localization Roundtable is a crucial event to foster important discussions among actors from different levels of governance and other stakeholders on how to enhance localization processes and what it means to do so. This directly connects to the WUF12 theme “It All Starts at Home” by focusing on how local actions can drive sustainable urban development.

Localization acknowledges the pivotal role of subnational governments and advocates for an inclusive, whole-of-society and whole-of-government approach. By empowering local stakeholders and encouraging citizen engagement, the Localization Roundtable is closely connected to “Dialogue 3: Stronger together” and intersects with other dialogues such as “Dialogue 4: Financing localization and localizing finance.”

The roundtable offers a key opportunity to explore the foundations of SDG localization, address major challenges, and highlight the crucial role that local and regional governments play in this endeavor. This event will provide a platform for in-depth analysis and collaboration, shaping the path forward for sustainable development at the local level.

Objectives

The Localization Roundtable aims at positioning the role of local and regional governments within global governance structures, providing an action-oriented discussion on scaling up localization efforts, and ensure that local and regional governments have voice, recognition and participation in global governance processes.

Guiding questions

• How can local and regional governments be better integrated into global governance structures to enhance their impact on sustainable development
• What are the key challenges in localizing the SDGs, and how can collaboration across sectors help overcome these obstacles?
• In what ways can data and technology be leveraged to support local actions and improve the implementation of the SDGs?
• How can financial resources be mobilized to support the scaling of successful localization initiatives?