On 10 July 2024, at the 2024 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, the Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments presented its latest report “Towards the Localization of the SDGs”, facilitated by United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG). This report outlines global efforts to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the local level.
UNDP Administrator, Achim Steiner, brought a message of hope and highlighted the essential role of local and regional governments who are working relentlessly to make Agenda 2030 a reality for everyone, everywhere.
Emilia Saiz, Secretary General of UCLG, underscored the report’s significance, noting its analysis of 367 voluntary national reviews from 191 countries between 2016 and 2024, offering a global perspective on SDG localization.
Berry Vrbanovic, Mayor of Kitchener and Co-President of UCLG, praised the report for its comprehensive coverage of SDG localization efforts worldwide, and emphasized the interconnectedness of global agendas and the SDGs’ role in driving collective achievements.
Mayor Ravi Bala of Hoboken, New Jersey, highlighted the report’s focus on SDG 13 (Climate Action) within the Paris Agreement framework. He underscored the urgency of addressing climate change, citing global challenges and local innovations like Hoboken’s infrastructure improvements to enhance resilience.
Such report has been produced and presented to the HLPF every year since 2017, and is increasingly acknowledged by the UN and partners as a critical tool to advance SDG localization.
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This year’s report showcases over 750 best practices from local and regional governments globally, illustrating innovative approaches to sustainable development. It was developed through extensive participatory processes and includes analyses of survey responses and local action reports – for example, between 2020 and 2024, 44 Voluntary Subnational Reviews were produced by local government associations from 38 countries, covering over 1.7 billion people. The report demonstrates the importance of robust reporting and monitoring mechanisms at all levels to strengthen relations between local and national entities and effectively improve sustainable development efforts.
The report also highlights municipalities’ commitment to promoting local public services, addressing inequalities, and combating climate change. Local governments play crucial roles in climate finance, national action plans, and strategies to meet these goals, as well as in fostering peace and civic participation, and addressing issues of violence, injustice, and exclusion.
In 2024, 59% of countries produced Voluntary National Review (VNR) reports, indicating medium to high levels of local government involvement. However, half of the world’s countries lack permanent structures for local government participation in SDG achievement. With only six years remaining to achieve the 2030 agenda, urgent action is needed to leverage local efforts in sustainable development.
As cities and local governments look ahead to the UN Summit of the Future in September, it is crucial to ensure their adequate representation in such decision-making processes. Strengthening local finances, fiscal decentralization, and recognizing local governments as key policymakers are essential steps forward.
The launch event concluded with a call for enhanced collaboration and recognition of local efforts in global sustainable development initiatives. It emphasized the urgency of harnessing local actions to effectively address global challenges.