Key actors in the local implementation of the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs) have, at the invitation of the UN Secretary General’s office, established a Sweden Local2030 Hub. It is a platform for capacity building, knowledge sharing, collaboration and inspiration with the aim of accelerating the local implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
The Local2030 Hub facilitates for actors from different sectors and countries to meet on a common platform and together raise the issue of how to accelerate sustainability work and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. We only have 9 years until the global sustainability goals should be implemented. The think tank Global Challenge has, therefore, on behalf of the UN Secretary – General’s Office, taken the initiative to create this platform to facilitate the work of implementing Agenda 2030 and its goals locally – something we believe is crucial to ensure sustainable development globally. Global Challenge is the initiator, but the work with Sweden Local2030 Hub is divided between about 20 organizations. The common focus for the work that Sweden Local 2030 Hub undertakes is how gender equality (goal 5), equality (goal 10), and collaboration (goal 17) can be used to promote sustainable cities and communities (goal 11) and strengthen the capacity for local implementation of Agenda 2030. The whole world is facing the challenge with Agenda 2030 and we are running out of time. Many of us feel that it is becoming urgent to speed up the processes that will implement global goals. Municipalities and cities feel that they need support relating to Agenda 2030 and sustainable local change. The purpose for the hub is to facilitate collaborations and gather cities and other relevant actors both in Sweden and globally and to be a place for inspiration, knowledge exchange and capacity building.
For a stakeholder in India, for example, it can be difficult to know where to turn if you are interested in an initiative in Sweden. Therefore, we want this hub to function as a window to the outside world so that Sweden can interact with other actors when it comes to the 2030 goals. The ambition is to openly spread good examples and Sweden has a lot of good examples to highlight.
Many goals can only be implemented locally, therefore, local actors and cities must work actively on the goals. Here, Sweden can function as a good pioneer country. We have a strong level of decentralization in Sweden and much of the decision-making takes place in the municipalities. We have a lot of knowledge, but this does not apply to all municipalities and regions. Some have more knowledge than others and have experiences to share. At the same time, many do not know where to turn with these questions. Therefore, we have created this platform to help Swedish actors to share their experiences so that the work can speed up.
We hope that, together within the hub, we can increase the pace of implementation of Agenda 2030 in Sweden and globally. The idea with the Hub is to facilitate networking and the exchange of experience with other countries. There is a division within cities in Sweden but also globally. With the use of the hub International, it is possible to take part in more examples with similar cities. Local 2030 hub is acting as a proactive force, contributing to producing support and information on difficult issues.
Thomas Melin – Senior Urban Advisor at Global Utmaning
Read more about Sweden Local2030 Hub and follow us on social media:
Facebook – @SwedenLocal2030
Twitter – @swedenlocal2030
Instagram – @swedenlocal2030
Feature image – Paula Prekopova @Unsplash
