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Local Perspectives - Cities Leading the Way to Achieving the Sdgs

Masha Smirnova

Moderator

date November 7, 2024 | 13:00 - 14:30
place
Voices from Cities - room B
organization
City of Tallinn
country
Estonia
language
English
Reference: 
VC-B 13

Summary

The event will offer a unique opportunity to delve into the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from local perspectives. It aims to highlight how cities are approaching the issue of achieving and addressing the SDGs, emphasizing the urgent need to close the action gap towards the SDGs, including through cooperation and with support from actors in the global multilateral system.
The proposed session is spearheaded by the city of Tallinn, Estonia, and will be moderated by Eurocities, the largest network of European cities. Reflecting on its longstanding efforts of SDG implementation, Tallinn will share insights into its journey, discussing its challenges and the pivotal role international cooperation has played in its efforts. Providing a real-world example, Tallinn will illustrate how cities can draw insights from peer-learning initiatives and institutional work on achieving the SDGs, such as the collaborative work undertaken in the Eurocities SDGs Taskforce and making use of the research and technical support by organisations like the JRC, OECD and the UN Environment Programme.
The session will feature the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre’s (JRC) new research designed to help make informed decisions about local SDG implementation, drawing on a global analysis of cities' Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs). This research, focused on the collection of actions reported in VLRs, provides valuable insights into how cities strive to achieve the SDGs. It offers a comprehensive understanding of the means of implementation and the varying approaches across different SDGs and targets.
The event will also include highlights from the OECD stocktake on the Localisation of the SDGs efforts, challenges and successful examples, focusing on policies, multi-level governance, financing, indicators and stakeholder engagement. It will present an update on measuring the distance of cities and regions to the SDGs targets and bring local perspectives from its programme partner Parana, Brazil.
Finally, the event will host the UN Environment Programme's Cities Unit. The panellists will discuss existing institutional arrangements supporting the engagement of subnational actors, aiming to strengthen multilevel governance approaches. Through their technical assistance to cities, they bring a practical perspective on the tools and frameworks required for local governments to deliver on global agendas.
The discussion aims to bridge the "monitoring hype" by focusing on actual, real-world actions and policy solutions to achieve significant SDGs impact. By analysing the actions taken by cities to deliver on the SDGs, the event will provide stakeholders at all levels with valuable information to strengthen dialogue, cooperation, and governance for sustainable development.
The session will start with short presentations by the speakers to set the scene, and then proceed to a moderated panel discussion that aims to meet the below objectives.

Objectives

1. Showcase local approaches: Highlight and showcase how cities are approaching the issue of achieving and addressing the SDGs, emphasizing the diversity of approaches and actions taken by cities.
2. Close the action gap: Address the urgent need to close the action gap towards the SDGs, emphasizing the importance of practical, real-world actions and policy solutions to achieve significant SDGs impact at the local level.
3. Insights from research: Draw on a global analysis of cities' VLRs to provide valuable insights into the means of implementation and varying approaches across different SDGs and targets.
4. Strengthen multilevel governance: Discuss existing institutional arrangements supporting the engagement of subnational actors, focusing on ways to strengthen multilevel governance approaches and the tools and frameworks needed for local governments to deliver on global agendas.
5. Strengthen dialogue and cooperation: Provide stakeholders at all levels with valuable information to strengthen dialogue, cooperation, and governance for sustainable development, aiming to bridge the gap between monitoring and real-world actions to achieve the SDGs.
6. Drive SDG Progress from the local Level: Equip participants with practical insights and strategies from leading experts and cities on how to drive SDG progress from the local level, encouraging collaboration and action to address the global challenges outlined in the SDGs.

Session panelists

Panelist
Role
Organization
Country
Ms. Krista Kampus
Head EU and International Relations
City of Tallinn
Mr. Iraklis Stamos (Dr.)
Team Leader
Joint Research Centre (JRC) Territorial Development Unit
Mr. Gulnara Roll
Head of Cities Unit
United Nations Environment Programme
Mr. Stefano Marta
Head of Unit - Smart and Sustainable Cities
OECD