Global Taskforce: from the SDGs to Habitat III

At the beginning of November three-day meeting of 14 representatives of local government networks of the Global Taskforce (GTF) and its partners took place in Barcelona. The meeting was organized in the framework of the newly adopted 2030 agenda and of the run-up to the Habitat III conference to be held in October 2016.

Implementing and localizing the SDGs

A key topic at the GTF meeting was the implementation and localization of the newly adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It was recalled that 65% of SDG targets require local action for their implementation. Participants underlined the importance of ongoing advocacy by local and regional governments at national level, particularly with regards to national SDG monitoring programmes. They also highlighted that localization goes beyond the technical aspects and that it should be seen as a political matter. According to the attendees the GTF is the right actor to continuously address these political aspects.

From the SDGs to other agendas

Furthermore, several upcoming international events and summits were discussed, including the COP21 climate conference in Paris, PrepCom 3 in Surabaya, the Second World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments and the Habitat III Conference in Quito.

Habitat III Policy Unit debates

On the second and third day of the conference, 8 of the 19 Habitat III Policy Units joined the GTF meeting.[1] This meeting was aimed to provide an informal space for exchange to ensure a more cross-cutting approach to the policy discussions of the Policy Units. The session was also intended to share the narrative of local and regional governments with those Policy Unit experts with links to the local government community. Participants asked UCLG and the GTF to follow-up on the recommendations and fruitful debates. The GTF plans to organize another similar meeting early 2016 to build onto the recommendations.