28-29 October 2021 | UCLG ASPAC shared the progress of voluntary commitment the organisation made at the 7th Asia-Pacific Urban Forum (APUF) in 2019 through the 2nd Regional Partners Forum, a virtual event organised by The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat), in collaboration with the Penang Platform for Sustainable Urbanisation (PPSU). The Forum served as a regional review of Asia-Pacific progress in localising the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and achieving the New Urban Agenda (NUA).
UCLG ASPAC Secretary General Dr. Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi reported on the progress of Voluntary Commitment made at the 7th Asia-Pacific Urban Forum (APUF) in 2019 “to support at least 50 cities and provinces to develop SDG aligned local plan, climate change action plans, local disaster plans and/or participatory design and construction of public spaces by 2022”.
The commitment was realised through support given to more than 30 local governments in Indonesia in mainstreaming the SDGs to the local development plan and SDGs action plan under the EU-funded programme LOCALISE SDGs (Leadership, Ownership, and Capacities for Agenda 2030 Local Implementation and Stakeholders Empowerment for Sustainable Development Goals). Although the programme concluded in June 2021, UCLG ASPAC has decided to keep supporting the local government for SDGs attainment up to 2030.
UCLG ASPAC is also working with two provinces in Pakistan in mainstreaming the SDGs in the local development processes under the EU-funded LEAD for SDGs (Local Empowerment, Advocacy and Development for SDGs Localisation in Pakistan) programme. Expected to conclude by 2023, the programme is working to create enabling and supporting environment for the local governments to be able to localise SDGs according to the global agenda in 2030.
In addition, UCLG ASPAC is working with 10 pilot cities in Indonesia in integrating climate resiliency in local development plans under the EU-funded CRIC (Climate Resilient and Inclusive Cities) programme. Various capacity building activities and system for cities to be climate resilient and inclusive have been developed to sustain the efforts even after the programme concluded in 2024.
Detailed progress on status of the Voluntary Commitment by UCLG ASPAC and 10 other institutions were also included in the Forum’s Background Report.
The two-day forum involved discussions on the regional and national updates on NUA implementation, local actions for SDGs, and action plan for future pathways for SDG localisation and sustainable urban development. The outcomes of the Forum will be taken forward at the Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (March 2022) and the 11th World Urban Forum (June 2022).
UCLG ASPAC, as one of the Steering Committee members of the Penang Platform for Sustainable Development (PPSU), is glad for the opportunity to share realisation of its commitment and to encourage progress for SDGs attainment in Asia and the Pacific.
