The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was conceptualized at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Brazil, twelve years ago. The purpose was to produce a set of universal goals that would help combat the urgent environmental, political and economic challenges confronting humankind today.
The SDGs are the blueprint to achieve a healthier, enhanced and more sustainable future for all. They dealt with the global challenges we encounter, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice, among others. The 17 Goals are in fact, all interconnected. All parties are working tirelessly for the full implementation of this Agenda by 2030.
Different organizations from different parts of the world are intensifying their efforts to help achieve the SGDs. Especially those concerning directly to economic development, sustainable industrialization, innovation and sustainable production, which many industries made their commitments to these goals. Also, SDGs aimed towards improving human rights have likewise garnered attention.
“Localizing” is the process of taking into account subnational contexts in the achievement of the SDGs, from the setting of goals and targets, to determining the means of implementation and using indicators to measure and monitor its progress.
Localization will tell us on how the SDGs can provide a framework for local development policy and to how local governments can support its achievement. While the SDGs are global, their achievement will depend on our ability to implement them in our provinces, cities and towns.