GOLD V 2019 Asia-Pacific Localization

• GOLD V 2019 discusses the localization of global agendas in the Asia-Pacific region and how local action transforms territories/communities.

Key Entities

• UCLG: United Cities and Local Governments
• ASPAC: Asia-Pacific
• CGLU: UCLG in other languages

Key Topics

• National and local institutional frameworks
• Implementation of SDGs
• Contribution of local and regional governments to the localization of SDGs
• Policy recommendations

Acknowledgments

• Saswat Bandyopadhyay and Brian Roberts gave support
• Binqing Li, Ninik Suhartini, Masao Kikuchi, R. Gopchandran, Mike Reid, and Shimul Shah provided contributions
• Fabienne Perruca and Rainer Rohdewohld gave insightful comments
• Gratitude is expressed to Barcelona Provincial Council, Kontxi Odriozola, and Ana Tapia
• The Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments provided inputs

Foreword

• UCLG's Global Observatory on Local Democracy and Decentralization (GOLD) report has been a key publication since 2008
• GOLD V focuses on the localization of global agendas and the impact of local actions
• The Asia-Pacific region, home to 54% of the world's population, has approximately 437,000 local and regional governments
• The UNESCAP 2019 report acknowledged progress made in the region but noted current trajectory won't achieve SDGs by 2030
• The GOLD V report offers an opportunity for LRGs to showcase best practices
• National governments are urged to provide an enabling institutional environment and promote collaboration with civil society

Abbreviations and Acronyms

• Key terms including ADB, AIMF, APEC, ASEAN, ASPAC, GDP, GHG, GIZ, GOLD, GTF, HLPF, ICLEI, IPCC, LGA, LRG, LRT, MDG, and MW are defined.

Background: Why SDG Localization?

• In 2015 and 2016, world leaders adopted global agreements towards sustainable development.
• Local and regional governments demonstrate commitment to realizing global agendas by implementing elaboration, adoption, and implementation processes.
• The 2030 Agenda acknowledges inter-connectedness of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) but requires an integrated approach.
• 'Whole-of-government' and 'whole-of-society' approaches are vital for advancing sustainable development
• Worldwide SDG implementation is being evaluated now, progress made is being assessed.
• The SDG Summit occurred in September 2019
• Urbanization, demographic change, climate change, crises, and technologies shape realization of SDGs and present challenges
• LRGs contribute to achievement of global agendas despite trends
• Decarbonization will occur through project-level investments at the sub-national level
• By 2050, 70% of the world's population is expected to live in urban areas, requiring that LRGs address pivotal challenges

Main Points

• The GOLD V Report proposes to provide a guide on meeting global goals and objectives through design and implementation of policies
• Integration of territorial planning, strategic design, institutional environments, and political roadmaps is necessary
• Localization entails defining, implementing, and also monitoring strategies at the local level to achieve global, national, and sub-national goals
• Territorial approach to local development recognizes local development as incremental, integrated and guided by local authorities for managing and financing.
• The existence of self-governing, elected local authorities with power helps decentralization
• Implementation of 2030 Agenda requires engagement of all levels of governance plus commitment
• Towns/communities are key implementation locations for the SDGs
• SDG framework's development plus decentralization progress
• Sustainable TALD is important and transformational due to its localized focus

Asia-Pacific Region

• The SDGs and 2030 Agenda have been embraced in the Asia-Pacific region by governments.
• Facing the implementation of SDGs region includes enhanced territorial development strategies
• Vast population and geographic area are factors, along with rapid urbanization and also environmental threats
• ASPAC region is divided into Southern/South-western Asia, South-eastern Asia, Eastern/North-eastern Asia, and Pacific Island countries
• The region is economically diverse, and it has more than 54% of the world's population
• The population is roughly 4.1 billion of which about 50% live in urban areas
• More than 60% of the world's economic growth rests on this region
• Urbanization has helped millions escape poverty.
• There are more than 4,400 urban centers, and also 300 cities have populations of > one million.
• Asia is among the most urbanizing regions where numerous small and medium-sized cities are forming long urban corridors
• Asia is home to more than half of the world's cities that are most vulnerable to different forms of natural disasters
• Achieving clean energy (SDG 7) is underway but inequality is spreading

National and Local Institutional Frameworks

• All countries in the ASPAC region have signed up to the SDGs
• Implementation involves integrating the SDGs within the framework of national development strategies
• The UNESCAP synthesis notes most countries have revised/realigned their National Development Plans for supporting the mainstreaming of the Agenda
• The localization of SDG strategies is factored into a number of VNRs
• The UNESCAP emphasized proper integration of policies and also coordination
• In this context, SDG implementation has had limited sub-national involvement
• It may be more extensive on a regional/local scale
• The 2030 Agenda is a multi-sectoral framework that requires cross cooperation
• Many pre-existing mechanisms ensure this
• Multi-stakeholder mechanisms also exist
• The role of LRGs has had limited involvement in the efforts to coordinate; thus, the mechanisms to coordinate are not always well-matched between local needs and local-scale.

Enabling Institutional Environments of Local and Regional Governments

• Decentralization and state reforms have occurred in most ASPAC since the 1990s, but greatly differ by country.
• Federal countries assign legislative jurisdiction to the local government systems; they handle functions & fiscal frameworks
• Constitutional reforms involve territorial and political organizations
• UCLG ASPAC and Cities Alliance proposed an evaluation of governments support sustainable CSE in the regions
• The assessment offers a review of local governance
• The economic, the sustainable and the democratic are all key factors in local government action
• Progress is being made
• Reform is an on-going need

Multilevel Governance

• The national government is responsible for goals, targets and strategy to realize them
• LRGs have crucial responsibilities to support many aims of Agenda 2030
• There is a strong territorial component, thus coordination across all government tiers is vital for Agenda
• It is essential to the principle that for LRGs to take autonomous action they are enabled to
• To access different sources sub-national they must be able to
• In a number of countries with complex systems of administration these levels of to mobilize additional resources it is helpful
• Various countries are working to realize the and implement different public administration arrangements to realize SDGS
• China is seeing strong national government action as it is to develop efficient policy to act and carry out many measures
• Indonesia has had its diversity improved for its guidance

Contribution of Local and Regional Governments

• The contribution highlights actions that governments can to help support SDGs
• Momentum has grown
• Most local governments have limited awareness of goals and have to prioritize their actions
• The chapter focuses on initiatives and how governments seek to overcome all SDG challenges

SDG Awareness & SDG Awareness/Role of LRG Networks

• Regional associations & LGAs play active roles in localization
• Organizations support distribution
• Associations are active in the South Pacific
• UN Agencies such as UNDP help actively
• Indonesia has been especially active

Alignment of Local Strategies and Plans

• Preparation aligns strategies into local plans
• The section provides overview on where the alignment is happening
• The goal is that countries include LRGs.
• Votuntary Local Reviews have become increasingly important

Local Actions

• This describes the operationalization phase
• Turning visions and plans into what actions are
• It highlights examples and policies

Conclusions and Policies

• The UNESCAP Report of 2019 declares the region requires reform, which then will allow to meet proper government
• The SDGs must incorporate all aspects if we seek to understand why they are not just only labelled as sustatinable.
• There must be local and regional government
• Civil society is essential
• Multi level agreement is also to improve SDGs
• A global form is essential

Policy Recommendations

• Policies need to align with national and local
• Governments are key
• A global strategy should focus on local
• Key issues will come from a range of areas