Localization in Action. Promoting the Italian approach to Sdgs localization through policy coherence for sustainable development

With six years left to implement the 2030 Agenda and only 17% of the SDG targets on track, our world continues to face social and economic challenges aggravated by the triple planetary crisis. As part of our collective response, localization is widely acknowledged as the key approach to delivering on the SDGs across the social, economic, and environmental development pillars.

SDGs localization is anchored on multilevel governance (MLG) and Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development (PCSD), essential processes to ensure vertical coherence across policy levels, horizontal integration across sectors and societal actors, and temporal continuity of development action.

As one of the main promoters of SDGs localization and PCSD worldwide, Italy, through its Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE), is pushing for an integrated implementation of the 2030 Agenda through a whole-of-government effort. As part of its engagement, within the G7 Climate, Energy, and Environment Ministers’ Meeting Communiqué, MASE announced the intention to launch a new global initiative jointly with UN-Habitat: The Partnership Platform on Localizing the SDGs. The collaboration between MASE and UN-Habitat was reinforced by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding at the High Level Political Forum in July 2024.

Anchored on the principles and methods of multilevel governance and policy coherence for sustainable development, the Partnership Platform on Localizing the SDGs will support in partner countries the development of SDG localization frameworks as blueprints to drive the implementation of local impact processes, jointly addressing the social, environmental and economic dimensions, particularly targeting the conquest of climate change. Building on the SDG Cities Initiative, it will support cities by offering an integrated approach connecting data to planning and implementation for maximizing impact.

It will seek articulation with the G20 Platform for Intermediary Cities and SDG Localization (G20 PLIC) and the Local 2030 Coalition as the key existing initiatives on localizing the SDGs and will promote the creation of a learning community through continuous dialogue, knowledge sharing, and capacity building among relevant institutions and partners interested in joining the initiative's process.

Building on the “Mattei Plan” an on the activation of the “Rome process” that focuses on creating partnerships with African countries, the Partnership Platform will articulate its work with environmental cooperation activities – bilateral and multilateral, to maximize its impact and overall effectiveness of development cooperation.

Organized by MASE and UN-Habitat, the side event will be the occasion to officially launch the Partnership Platform on Localizing the SDGs, bringing together partners and experts to discuss the core of the initiative’s work and exploring synergies for further cooperation.