TOWARDS THE LOCALIZATION OF THE SDGs
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Japan (Photo: Jeremy-stenuit-3mErKfgolzM-unsplash)
The COVID-19 pandemic: LRGs on the frontline
The COVID-19 pandemic is putting our communities, cities and territories under unprecedented strain and is also having a direct impact on the SDGs. As the level of government closest to the populations that they serve, LRGs are playing a key role in protecting local people, as they act as the first line of defence against the pandemic. Throughout the world, LRGs are helping to improve preparedness, responding to the outbreak and planning for the aftermath. LRGs in China and Korea were among the first respondents to contain the virus. They achieved this through different strategies. These ranged from adopting full lock-down measures, decided by their national governments, to applying
relatively limited restrictions on mobility. For example, Seoul launched a “24-hour Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters” during the early stages of the outbreak, back in midFebruary. This initiative served to coordinate the application of pre-emptive response measures and to promote the sharing of information. Such action subsequently succeeded in reducing the rate of infection and limiting death rates. Daegu launched “drive-thru” COVID-19 testing to ensure that an increasing percentage of the population has been tested.11 LRGs have based their responses to the pandemic on putting people at the centre of their action, actively engaging in collective learning processes, and exchanging experiences based
