Tracking SDG progress the Bhopal way

Context:

Bhopal has become the first city in India to join the growing global movement on localisation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) following the release of its Voluntary Local Review (VLR). 

Agenda for Sustainable Development:

• In 2015, the 193 member-states of the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which consists of 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets as a plan of action for ‘people’, ‘the planet’, and ‘prosperity’.

Measurement of Progress:

• The member-states submit a Voluntary National Review (VNR) to the UN’s High Level Political Forum (HLPF), and, more recently, VLRs as a means for driving and reporting local implementation of SDGs at the sub-national and city levels.

India’s progress:

• India has made commendable efforts towards the adoption, localisation, and achievement of the SDGs. 
• India’s Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation (MoSPI) has published a National Indicator Framework (NIF) for the review and monitoring of the SDGs.
  • It contextualizes the UN’s Global Indicator Framework to represent India’s unique development journey. 
• In a NITI Aayog report, at least 23 States and Union Territories have prepared a vision document based on SDGs.
  • Almost all of them have initiated steps to localize the SDGs. 

VLR, VNR & Local Actions:

• Cities are the most important stakeholders in Agenda 2030, at least 65% of the 169 targets could not possibly be achieved without the engagement of local urban stakeholders. 
• A VLR is a tool to demonstrate how local actions are leading the way in equitable and sustainable transformations for people and building a coalition of partners towards this endeavour.
• While it is desirable to align a city’s VLR to the State-level action plan (where available) and the country’s VNR, the process allows a great deal of flexibility to the cities to tell their story within a framework of their choice. 
• Cities may choose specific SDGs for a detailed review as per their priority and logistical comfort. 
  • They may adapt and further localize the national indicators under the relevant SDGs to reflect the city level realities. 
  • Globally, many cities choose to align their review with the SDGs that are taken up for detailed review by the HLPF in its ongoing cycle.

The Bhopal plan:

• Collaboration: Between the Bhopal Municipal Corporation, UN-Habitat, and a collective of over 23 local stakeholders. 
• Three Pillars: Mapping of 56 developmental projects to the SDGs across the three pillars, of ‘people’ (SDGs 1,3,4,5), ‘planet’ (SDGs 6,13,15) and ‘prosperity’ (SDGs 7,8,11). 
• Priority: The objectives of building basic infrastructure and resilience emerge as a priority for the city from the number of projects mapped to the SDGs.
• In-depth quantitative assessment under SDG 11 
  • Sustainable cities and communities record Bhopal’s stellar performance in solid waste management practices, public transportation, and open spaces per capita. 
  • The city needs to work much harder to close the distance from the goals: provisioning of adequate shelter, high levels of air pollution, city planning capacity, and even distribution and accessibility of open spaces.

Conclusion:

It is a remarkable opportunity for Indian cities to tell their stories in their own vocabulary, using a framework of their choice to forefront their work at a global platform. We hope more Indian cities will follow Bhopal’s lead, to showcase urban innovations and collaborations emerging from India on the global map.

                                           News Source: The Hindu