President Cordeiro: "SDGs remain our framework to build
a stronger and fairer Europe for all"
Faced with the risk of a slowdown in the fight
against the climate crisis and of increasing
territorial and social disparities, local and
regional leaders have called for greater EU
engagement to accelerate efforts to achieve the UN
Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) in the EU and get on track with the 2030
deadline. An increasing number of cities and
regions are using the SDGs to build strong and
resilient overall recovery strategies. During the 8
February plenary session of the European Committee
of the Regions (CoR), regional and local leaders
shared with UN
Deputy Secretary-General,
Amina J. Mohammed, good practices from the ground,
demonstrating that cities and regions are leading
the way to a fairer, greener and more prosperous
future.
The SDGs are potentially the only holistic compass able
to balance out the multiplication of frameworks and
strategies for the future at all levels, from the
Paris Agreement on climate change
to National Recovery and Resilience Plans, from the
European Green Deal
to the new Urban Agenda. However, they are too often
neglected when EU policies are designed, as it is the
case for the
Recovery plan for Europe, and the current crises such as the pandemic and the
rising inflation could represent a setback in the
progress towards their achievement.
The President of the European Committee of the Regions,
Vasco Alves Cordeiro
(PT/PES), said: "
We are just seven years away from 2030 and the
deadline for implementing the Sustainable
Development Goals. They remain our framework to
build a stronger and fairer Europe for all, even
when faced with many different crises. Cities and
regions are committed to building a socio-economic
recovery that puts people, climate and social
justice together. Going from strategy to delivery
and the contribution of local and regional
authorities to make the SDGs a reality is vital
.
Going from strategy to delivery is vital. Cities
and Regions are key to making the SDGs a reality
."
Amina J. Mohammed
, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and
Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group,
addressed local and regional leaders, highlighting that
"
we urgently need to redouble our efforts on
sustainable development and the 2030 Agenda. As
Members of the European Committee of Regions, you
have an essential role in bringing the SDGs down to
earth and making them real and concrete in people’s
lives”.
She also said:
“policies and initiatives that have been tried and
tested by cities and regions can catalyze change
that will save and improve lives and livelihoods
around the world
.”
CoR members collected their requests and concerns in
the
opinion
"Progress in the implementation of SDGs", adopted
during the Plenary. The rapporteur,
Ricardo Rio
(PT/EPP), Mayor of Braga, stated: "
This opinion stresses the importance of a stronger
commitment to the fulfillment of the SDGs by all
levels of government, a process in which the
European Union can benefit from the cities' and
regions' experience and exchange of best practices.
In a decisive year in which the EU shall present
its first voluntary review, Europe must lead by
example, supporting the local and regional
authorities' efforts with further financial support
and establishing intercontinental connections. It
is also time to look ahead and create a framework
that assures the purpose of the SDGs beyond 2030.
”
The OECD estimates
that 65% of the targets under the SDGs cannot be
reached without the coordination or involvement of
local and regional authorities. Regions and cities
therefore have a key role to play in achieving the 17
Sustainable and Development Goals of the United
Nations.
The CoR criticises the current SDGs monitoring system
as it doesn't include clear targets for the EU, and
stresses that monitoring the progress of SDGs at
regional and local level is crucial in efforts to
design evidence-based policies. To that end, the
Committee supports the European Commission’s Joint
Research Centre and Eurostat in a
pilot project 'Regions 2030'
that aims to create a framework with which regions can
monitor progress towards meeting the SDGs in their
territory. Ten European regions already joined the
pilot project (full list).
Background:
According to an
OECD report
based on a survey carried out jointly with the CoR, 40%
of local and regional authorities were already using
the SDGs before the pandemic and have started to use
them to shape the recovery phase. Another 44% have not
yet started to use the SDGs in the recovery but are
planning to do so in the future. Two-thirds – 68% – of
regions and cities use the SDGs to shape new plans,
policies and strategies or to adapt existing ones to
the 2030 Agenda.
The European Commission is drafting the first EU
Voluntary Review to report on SDGs at the United
Nations this year. The CoR ensured that local and
regional good practices on SDGs will be featured in the
review.
In 2021 the CoR adopted an
opinion
entitled "Delivering on the Sustainable Development
Goals by 2030", which was also drafted by Ricardo Rio.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
was adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015
to provide a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity
for people and the planet. The Agenda's cornerstone is
a list of 17 Sustainable Development Goals to be
reached by 2030.
Over the past five years of available data, the EU made
progress towards most SDGs goals. Progress on some
goals was faster than on others, and within goals,
movement away from the sustainable development
objectives also occurred in specific areas (Eurostat data).
Contacts:
Monica Tiberi – Spokesperson of the President
Tel: +32 479 51 74 43
monica.tiberi@cor.europa.eu
Matteo Miglietta
Tel. +32 (0) 470 89 53 82
matteo.miglietta@cor.europa.eu