New report takes the pulse of municipal sustainability efforts
27th of August 2024
The report is the first of its kind and assesses how Nordic municipalities and regions are working with the global goals for sustainable development, also known as the SDGs or Agenda 2030.
The report shows that the commitment to Agenda 2030 among Nordic municipalities is strong. More than 95 percent of the municipalities in Sweden and Norway which participated in the survey reported that they are actively working towards meeting the SDGs. The figure was 80 percent for Denmark, and 64 percent for Finland and Iceland.
Most municipalities also work holistically, focusing on economic, social, and environmental sustainability. Many also integrate Agenda 2030 into their strategies, planning systems, budgets, and procurement guidelines.
“Local level takes the lead”
“The report shows that leadership in promoting sustainability and transforming society needs to be taken at the local level. This is done by integrating the SDGs into governance models and using them as tools to promote cross-sectoral co-operation and improve the quality of life for citizens,” said Anna Karin Eneström, Sweden’s permanent representative to the UN, at the report’s launch event in New York in July.
Challenges exist
However, the report also reveals that many municipalities are facing challenges in their work with Agenda 2030. These challenges include a lack of capacity, a lack of political prioritisation, a lack of government support, and a lack of methods and tools.
As a complement to the report, there is an interactive toolbox in the form of a digital platform, “Nordic Toolbox”. It contains various methods and initiatives contributed by Nordic municipalities. The idea is that the toolbox will facilitate the exchange of experiences and learning between municipalities and also inspire local efforts worldwide.
Includes young people and civil society
An important aspect of the Nordic report is that it includes young people and civil society. The report includes chapters from Nordic Youth for Sustainability Network and the Nordic Civil Society Network.
This ensures that the voices of young people and civil society are heard and counted.
The report can be seen as part of the work with the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Vision 2030, which aims for the Nordic Region to be the most sustainable and integrated region in the world. The report was launched at a UN event in New York in July and will be presented in a Nordic context at the Ystad Summit on 5 September.
The event at Ystad Summit will be streamed live here:
Facts:
The report Nordic Voluntary Sub-National Review (VSR) is based on a survey sent to Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, and Swedish municipalities in 2023, along with a similar national survey sent to Danish municipalities.
The survey responses were supplemented with interviews with representatives from the Nordic municipal and regional associations.
The report was a collaboration between Nordregio and the Nordic municipal and regional associations and was funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers.
Nordregio is a Nordic research institution in Stockholm under the Nordic Council of Ministers.
Contact:
Åsa Ström Hildestrand
+46 739281896
Louise Ögland
+46 736680934
