On July 14th, the 5th Guangzhou Award Report on Local Implementation of SDGs was officially released during the 2021 UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. Under the forum’s framework, the report focuses on facilitating a sustainable and resilient recovery from the pandemic and how to improve social, economic, and environmental sustainability. It demonstrates the progress and contribution made by the Guangzhou International Urban Innovation Award (Guangzhou Award) in accelerating cities and local governments’ development progress regarding the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The report is co-authored by Nicholas You, senior consultant of Guangzhou Award, Amanda Lloyd, director of Penn Institute for Urban Research, Enrique R. Silva, director of international initiatives at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, and Jose Siri, senior science lead of Wellcome Trust. The report was released during the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development both on UCLG and Guangzhou Award websites and in the related press release emails. The World Cities and Local Government Organization (UCLG) will also update this report on its website.  

The report identifies cities and local governments as pioneers and benchmarks for ideas and approaches helping the world reach the Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda). It is essential to focus on the innovative practices conducted by cities and local governments and conclude effective and transferable lessons. The deserving cities of 2020 only have embraced SDG 11 (which is about “sustainable cities and communities”) but also innovate through institutional, political, cultural, and economic development. This trend reviews the advancement of urban governance driven by local demand, evolving leadership and institutional reform. 

2020 SDG Distribution for 45 Deserving Submissions of the Guangzhou Award

Effectiveness, replicability/transferability, and significance are three characteristics that the report emphasizes. Promotion of local practices requires the support of and integration with national governments.

To illustrate the details of lessons drawn from the Guangzhou Award, the report has been grouped broadly into five areas: cities taking a measure of the SDGs, cities increasing health and well-being, cities ensuring sustainable economic growth and consumption, cities protecting the climate and environment, and cities building just and inclusive societies. With the following sections that present a range of actions and approaches taken by cities across the globe to advance the SDGs, the report concludes a set of lessons relevant for all tiers and sectors of government.

Read more about the report:

http://www.guangzhouaward.org/a/1291.html?lang=en