A territorial approach to the Sustainable Development Goals

It is estimated that 65% of the 169 targets behind the 17 SDGs will not be reached without proper engagement of and coordination with local and regional governments. Although the 2030 Agenda was not designed specifically for cities and regions, they play a critical role in most underlying public policies and investments. The OECD project on “A Territorial Approach to SDGs: A role for Cities and Regions to leave no-one behind” is helping local governments to develop, implement and monitor strategies to achieve the SDGs at subnational level. The project helps make more evident the need for policies to be coordinated across all levels of government, and addresses the interconnectedness and complexity of SDGs. It also assesses the context-specific conditions and inequalities of different people and places, including through case studies in Argentina, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, and Japan, among others.