The Climate Chance Observatory is very pleased to have contributed to the ‘Planet’ chapter of the fifth report « Towards the Localization of the SDGs », facilitated by UCLG). Presented at the 2021 High Level Political Forum, this report analyses the efforts of local and regional governments (LRG) to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Summary
After a year marked by the Covid-19 pandemic, the report highlights how LRGs are contributing to promoting a safe, just and green recovery at all levels and what challenges must be overcome to harness their full potential as well as how the global movement for the localization of the SDGs has expanded over the past year. The expansion of subnational reporting efforts deserves special attention in this regard, with double the total number of Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) available worldwide (from approximately 40 VLRs in May 2020 to more than 100 in June 2021); while in the same period of time, 15 Voluntary Subnational Reviews (VSRs) have emerged in 14 countries worldwide, which together represent more than 16,000 LRGs.
The report showcases six critical recommendations, that are also imbued in the ways forward, to ensure the SDGs are reached and the recovery is built with everyone in mind, building from the local level:
– Align COVID-19 recovery plans at all levels with global sustainability agendas
– Ensure equitable access to health and public services for all, putting human rights at the centre of the recovery
– Drive a safe, equitable and green recovery that works for all by involving LRGs in its definition and implementation
– Empower LRGs through adequate finances and multi-level coordination mechanisms
– Strengthen LRGs’ contributions to SDG localization by integrating them into national coordination mechanisms and reporting processes
– Renew the multilateral system by acknowledging LRGs’ voices at the global level and fully engaging them in decision making processes
Detailed summary on the UCLG website
