A New UN Hub established in Sweden for local implementation of the 2030 Agenda

Key actors in the local implementation of the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs) have, at the invitation of the UN Secretary General’s office, established a Sweden Local2030 Hub. It is a platform for capacity building, knowledge sharing, collaboration and inspiration with the aim of accelerating the local implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

- This new Sweden Local2030 Hub is providing crucial leadership and solutions to help us get on track towards achieving the 2030 Agenda, says Lara Blanco Rothe, Deputy Director of the Sustainable Development Unit, Executive Office of the Secretary-General

Sweden Local2030 Hub is the latest of eight global UN hubs and has been established with the goal of promoting capacity building in inclusive and sustainable urban development with a focus on local implementation of the SDGs. The hub is a way to gather civil society organizations, municipalities, private sector, research institutes and networks that are key players in the local implementation of the goals.

- I am convinced that new Local 2030 hub will mobilise all actors to accelerate local SDG implementation in Sweden and also help to share their extensive knowledge and experience across the globe, says Shipra Narang Suri, Chief, Global Urban Practices Branch, UN-Habitat

Sweden stands out globally by having a high level of municipal self-government. As a consequence, most 2030 Agenda goals and targets are linked to the municipal and regional activities. Sweden is ambitious when it comes to deliver on the 2030 Agenda and in the recently presented bill Sweden's implementation of Agenda 2030 (2019/20: 188) it is emphasized that “municipalities and regions carry a large part of the responsibility for implementing 2030 Agenda 2030.

- Together, the hub will strengthen collaboration between municipal and regional actors in Sweden, create areas for international knowledge exchange and build joint capacity to implement the 2030 Agenda locally, says Tove Ahlström, CEO of Global Utmaning who is administrating the hub.

The Government emphasizes in the bill that it is at local and regional level that both national goals and global commitments are translated into practical action. This is reflected in the fact that municipalities and regions in 2019 accounted for about 80 percent of the total public procured amounts. On the other hand, the analysis commissioned by the Government shows that representatives of municipalities and regions call for more support in the sustainable transition.

- This is precisely the kind of support that the Swedish branch of Local2030 will contribute with. We want to be the link between local needs and knowledge at home and local needs and knowledge globally”, says Thomas Melin, senior urban advisor who currently chairs the hub.

Read more about the organisations involved in the Sweden Local2030 Hub and follow us on social media: Facebook - @SwedenLocal2030, Twitter - … och Instagram - @swedenlocal2030

Contact:

Thomas Melin, Senior Advisor, Global Utmaning

+ 46 70 755 59 66, thomas.s.melin@gmail.com

Joel Ahlgren, International relations manager

+46 727 44 44 52 joel.ahlgren@globalutmaning.se