Local governments should be involved more and better in the VNR consultation processes Local governments’ participation in the consultation process for the VNR has been an important incentive for mobilization and outreach. About 38 (58%) of the 63 countries that have so far reported in 2016 and 2017 mention that LRGs were included in the consultation process leading to the published VNR. Most of these countries are either European or Latin American, but LRGs were involved, to different degrees, in all continents. Regional governments were specifically involved in Ethiopia, India, and Kenya. On the other hand, 26 countries, spread across all continents, have not involved local governments in the reviewing process at all. The role of LRGs and local stakeholders should be clearer and stronger To ensure local buy-in and ownership, it is important that LRGs and local stakeholders do not perceive the goals as a ‘top-down’ external imposition or a new ‘burden’ with no adequate resources provided in support. Rather, they should be assisted to foster actual ownership of the goals and embody their vision of the future in concrete actions and initiatives. Enhanced partnerships and broad coalitions at local level are imperative Inclusive partnerships that may kick-start vertical and multi-stakeholder cooperation on the SDGs require mobilization and pervasiveness at all levels in cities and territories, in all sectors of society, and in open and accountable institutions. LRGs can contribute as catalysts of sustainable development, linking global, national and local levels together and involving citizens and communities as drivers of bottom-up change, social, economic and cultural resilience, and inclusive rights in their territories. LRGs only partially benefit from new institutional frameworks that the SDGs are promoting and stimulating Only 27 countries have included LRGs in high-level decision-making or consultation mechanisms created for the coordination and follow-up of the SDGs. Stronger institutional frameworks and new channels of dialogue and coordination may be an opportunity for sub-national governments to raise their stance in the process. Policy coherence, dialogue and collaborative approaches between all spheres of government are decisive A more integrated approach to the SDGs could boost horizontal and vertical coordination, contribute to overcome segmented and ‘siloed’ national sectoral policies, and improve the harmonization of development plans between national and sub-national levels. Goal 17.4 itself calls, after all, for policy coherence for sustainable development as a transversal means of implementation. Top-down approaches continue to dominate Localization is not just about making global goals ‘trickle down’ to the local level. Top-down approaches could limit the “millions of activities” – in the words of Nigeria’s Road to the SDGs – with which local communities and territories can foster the localization of the SDGs.88 Implementation should be based on the respect of the principles of subsidiarity and local self-government in all countries.
88 Presidency of Nigeria (2015) Nigeria’s Road to SDGs, Country Transition Strategy, page 9.
63