Session Details

UN-Habitat, UNDP and FAO, in collaboration with several members of the Local2030 Coalition, are co-organizing a dedicated session to present the High Impact Initiative on Localization during the SDG Acceleration Day, titled "Local2030 Coalition: Pushing the Key Transitions and Achieving the SDGs by 2030".

Through this session, the Local2030 Coalition aims to spotlight practices, initiatives, and solutions accelerating localized efforts for the achievement of the 2030 Agenda, and provide lessons learned from efforts on the ground. It also aims to channel greater SDG financing towards the local level to scale up progress.

Outcomes include:

• Strong commitments to multi-level, multi-sector governance, its territorial dimension, and support for local and regional governments to advance the transitions and achieve the SDGs at the local level;

• Mobilizing support for strengthened capacities and expanded network of the Local2030 Hubs and other multi-stakeholder platforms to drive localization to achieve specific transitions (e.g., Food systems; Energy access and affordability; Digital connectivity; Education; Jobs and social protection; and Climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution) or in particular geographic regions lagging behind on the SDGs.

• Leveraging resources to finance a pipeline of local level initiatives that leverage high impact localization policies on multiple SDG transitions, for example, the Joint SDG Fund’s Localization Window.

Point/s of contact |  Rafael Tuts (raf.tuts@un.org); Shipra Narang-Suri (shipra.narang-suri@un.org); Francine Melchioretto (francine.melchioretto@un.org)

Please see session programme here

It is well-accepted that two thirds of the SDGs could not be achieved unless Local and Regional Governments (LRGs) and other local actors are fully involved in advancing these. For the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to achieve its transformative potential, it must be fully realized at the local level. However, about 42% of the countries that reported to the High Level Political Forum in 2023 demonstrably lacked meaningful involvement of LRGs in the VNR process, having either no involvement or limited and ad hoc engagement. The Local2030 Coalition serves as a platform to strengthen the partnership of local governments and other actors and stakeholders with the UN system in an effort to realize the 2030 Agenda at the local level.

The High Impact Initiative on Localization is one of twelve high impact initiatives led by UN-system entities that showcase select programmatic offerings and initiatives to support Member States' efforts towards just development transitions and SDG achievement. By fostering multilevel governance structures, bridging various sectors to address multiple territorial scales of the urban-rural continuum, helping to build coherence across policies and actions, strengthening multistakeholder capacities and enhancing their collaboration, leveraging resources to finance a pipeline of local-level initiatives and broadening avenues for inclusive participation the Local2030 Coalition will ensure the SDGs are fully localized.

Localization is the key approach to collectively propel greater inclusion and sustainability to achieve specific SDG transitions (e.g. Food systems, Energy access and affordability, Digital connectivity, Education, Jobs and social protection, and Climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution) and achieve the SDGs by 2030, leaving no one, no community, and no place behind.

Please check back soon for additional information