1. Implementing a new global agenda for cities
Jessica EspeY Senior Adviser
THANK YOU TO APA
Exciting to speaking to such a large audience with the power to really transform the places in which we live and work.

2. Sustainable Development Solutions Network
Launched in 2012 by the UN SG
Mobilizes global scientific and technological expertise to promote practical problem solving for sustainable development, including the SDGs.
Supports the implementation of the SDGs at local, national, and global scales.
“SDSN Cities” is a global network of 125 universities and urban planning schools with expertise in sustainable urban development, with links to local and national government, proving tools and knowledge products, and incubating good practices e.g. Solutions Initiatives.
SDSN deeply involved in SDG negotiations at the global level but now focusing energies on how this can be implemented at the local level- within countries, regions and cities.
Essentially about how we support local and national governments, working with local experts academics and CSOs to plan for and implement a holistic and comprehensive sustainable development agenda.

3. 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
10 targets, 15 indicators (available at
Covering housing (including slum upgrading) and basic services
Transport systems
City & settlement planning
Cultural and natural heritage
Climate change, disaster resilience and preparedness
Environmental impact of cities
Access to green, public spaces
Urban-rural linkages
Support for LDCs via local building procurement
SOME CONTEXT…
2030 Agenda signed by 193 countries. Built off MDGs.
Has 17 goals and 169 targets.
It’s a UNIVERSAL AGENDA – USA 25th on global SDG Index SDSN produced last year, with terrible performance on CC, inequality, SCP and so on.
Includes SDG 11: The only place-based goal… recognises the importance of a territorial approach to development.
Also takes into account the rapid, somewhat terrifying speed of urbanisation, with over half of global population currently living in cities and two thirds expected to be by the time the SDGs come to an end.
Priorities include housing, slum upgrading, transport systems, city planning, urban-rural linkages and so forth.
Very broad, ambitious agenda.

4. Home to over half of the population.
Producing 80% of global GDP
But also responsible for 70% of global carbon emissions.
“THE BATTLE FOR THE SDGs WILL BE WON OR LOST IN CITIES” UN Secretary General

5. What the “urban SDGs” could help deliver by 2030?
600 million meaningful new jobs: addressing informality & better working conditions
Education + healthcare for all 5 billion urban residents
Move 1-2 billion from slums into secure housing with adequate services
Build resilience & addressing informality by capitalizing on the $90 trillion urban, land use and energy economy

6. Paris Climate Agreement & Quito Habitat III
Limiting rise in global temperature to less than 2 degrees Celsius will require:
Retrofitting buildings and ‘building green’
Changing transportation systems
Better waste management….
HIII further complemented SDGs and Paris commitments by:
Highlighting centrality of the urban dimension – with more than 55% of the global population and accounting for ¾ of energy use,
Putting local leaders on a global platform.
Agreeing new national urban policies
New UN arrangements.
SDGs complemented by Paris Climate Agreement, to keep the rise in global temperatures to 2 degrees pre industrial levels.
Included huge Mayoral commitment to Paris – C40, Conference of Mayors, UrbanSDG Campaign, Mayoral convening at the Vatican, U2MOU.
With commitments relating to retrofitting buildings, green, public transportation systems, more recycling and more efficient waste management.
Further support from HIII.
First global conference pre-

7. How do you ‘localize’ broad global agendas at city level?
Localization refers to the process of adapting, implementing, and monitoring the SDGs (and other global commitments) at the local level.
Four main processes:
Establishing an inclusive and participatory mechanism
Developing contextually relevant targets
Goal-based long-term planning - backcasting
Monitoring SDG progress
Incentives?
Leave No One Behind
Leave No Place Behind
Access to development resources
A long-term SD roadmap, defined by citizens / residents
PROCESSES
1. NOT TOP DOWN: First point to note is that this can’t be a top down “UN” agenda as that doesn't’ resonate with residents or with US politicians, necessarily.
But when you break it down about very common global challenges – improved, sustainable infrastructure, jobs, access to fair justice.
SDGs a chapeau for residents and local governments to engage. To share a vision.
Part of reaching that understanding is inclusive dialogue.
2. CONTEXTUAL RELEVANCE: Then can open floodgates for a planning process, whereby you develop contextually relevant targets and indicators. The SDGs can be transposed hook line and sinker to local context. They need to be adapted, but retain the same broad focus so all pulling in a common direction.
3. BACKCASTING – taking a long-term perspective. Looking at where we’re trying to get to and moving towards it. Refer to DDPP.
4. MONITORING SDG progress: In addition to local implementation, local governments may also monitor progress on a range of SDG targets. The geographic and demographic disaggregation of data for relevant outcome-based targets has been repeatedly highlighted as crucial for the successful implementation of the SDGs, to ensure that we ‘leave no one behind’ [2, p. 1].
INCENTIVES:
Leave No One Behind: gains are equitably distributed across all territories and demographic groups.
Leave No PLACE Behind: Territorial approach to national planning. Focus on urban-rural cooperation and a level to do more integrated subnational planning.
Access to development resources: The SDGs will direct financial and technical resources from a range of international organizations, institutions of development finance, development cooperation agencies, NGOs and other stakeholders that offer development support. Local governments that integrate SDG targets in development planning and implementation may have the benefits of increased access to partnerships, finance, and technical support for achieving the outcomes.
SDGs already a people’s agenda – strong legitimacy and buy in, and gives a longer timeframe to get things done.

8. USA Sustainable cities initiative
Part of a broader effort to demonstrate the relevance of SDGs at the local level, for cities all over the world including the USA
3 USA city partnerships: San Jose, Baltimore, NYC
Hinges around university and city government partnerships
Includes inclusive dialogues, across communities, on the relevance of the SDG process and how SDGs can be made responsive to city-level development challenges and opportunities;
Direct collaboration between local experts and city officials to articulate clear and compelling local goals, which resonate with existing priorities
And (often concurrently) identifying ways to measure and showcase goals and priorities
Developing recommendations on how the city’s sustainability efforts align with the SDGs, and offering next steps for achievement.
Reports on the Baltimore and San Jose process are available at unsdsn.org
Book chapter on the OneNYC process forthcoming from Columbia University Press
UNIVERSITIES AS INDEPENDENT, SAFEGUARDS OF A LONG-TERM AGENDA.