Cities for Sustainability Governance (CSG)

Last week I attended a truly inspiring Cities for Sustainability Governance (CSG) network meeting together with my colleagues Ville Taajamaa and Suvi Jäntti. My key takeaways from CSG-network meeting in Braga: - There are inspiring examples in each city how to enhance sustainability governance. Network fosters trust, which creates innovation and creativity. - Cities play an important role both in the design, planning and implementation of sustainability. Local engagement creates greater impact. - (Sustainability) Education is key for transformation. Thank your for the Braga team for organizing such a wonderful event and the other cities for sharing their inspiring ideas and experiences.

This week #Tallinn International Peer Learning Hub hosted a seminar on #VoluntaryLocalReviews (VLRs)!🌍 As part of Tallinn’s Sustainability Governance, Tallinn is committed to integrating the #UN #2030Agenda and the #SustainableDevelopmentGoals (SDGs) into every aspect of the city’s #strategicplanning. To track our progress and showcase our efforts, we will produce Tallinn’s first #SustainableDevelopmentReport in 2026, highlighting our achievements and challenges in advancing the #SDGs. To #kickoff this exciting process, our recent seminar explored the “why, what, how, and with whom” of VLRs. Cities that have already completed their reviews – #Stuttgart, #Ghent, #Helsinki, #Strasbourg - shared their valuable insights and experiences. The #EuropeanCommission’s Joint Research Centre and Nordregio also shared valuable insights from global and macro-regional perspectives.  🔑#Key #takeaways: * SDGs are a common language for #global #sustainability, providing shared values for cities to align their #local #actions with global priorities. * VLRs play a critical role in closing the gap between the SDGs and tangible local actions by ensuring #accountability, #transparency, and #strategic #alignment. * To date, 347 VLRs have been published, with 63% coming from #cities and #municipalities, reflecting the growing importance of local governments in global sustainability efforts. * VLRs provide an opportunity to #strengthen the links between the local, regional, national and global – particularly important when looking at the #next #era of sustainable development where cities’ experiences must be better reflected. 💡 What is a #VLR? A #VoluntaryLocalReview (VLR) assesses the #implementation of the SDGs at the local level, showcasing progress, identifying challenges, and sharing recommendations. These reviews are vital tools for cities to align their local actions with global goals. #VLRs #SDGs #SustainableCities #Tallinn2035 #LocalGovernance #UN2030 #Sustainability

🌍 We had the opportunity to interview Braga's Mayor Ricardo Rio following Cities for Sustainability Governance (CSG) #paneldiscussion on the #post2030 #Agenda at the Human Power Hub 🙌🏻 In the interview, we explored the role #cities will play in the new era of #sustainable #development, the future of the SDGs, and also delved into Mayor Rio’s personal favorite SDG at the city level 🤍 If you're interested in the future of #urban #development and how #local #governments can drive sustainable #change - you won’t want to miss this conversation👇🏻 #SustainableDevelopment #SDGs #UrbanDevelopment #2030Agenda #LocalLeadership

Day 2 of the Cities for Sustainability Governance (CSG) transnational meeting in Human Power Hub is a wrap! 🌍   We kicked off the day with a #thought-provoking #panel on the crucial #Post #Agenda2030 topic: The Role of Cities in the New Era of Sustainable Development. Mayor of Braga, Ricardo Rio, joined by Maria Joao Rauch from SDSN, Prof. Pedro Mateus das Neves, PhD from CESOP local, and João Morais Crispim from Casais, led an discussion moderated by our Lead Partner, Ville Taajamaa. Next, we dove into our #URBACT session focused on #genderequality and #sustainability #governance - Umeå Kommun, Sweden🇸🇪 - our Lighthouse city - shared their incredible efforts and hands on examples on driving these key issues. Thank you, Annika Dalén and Linda Gustafsson 🙌🏻 The day continued with exciting visits to two of the region’s leading #innovation centers: the IB-S University of Minho and the INL - International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory. Big thanks to Transportes Urbanos de Braga for providing a #carbonfree bus to transport participants in a sustainable way 🚍💚   It was another inspiring day filled with innovative ideas and forward-thinking strategies. 💪🏻With meaningful collaboration and knowledge sharing, we’re driving towards a sustainable future!   #CitiesForSustainabilityGovernance #CSG #SustainableDevelopment #GenderEquality #SDGs #URBACT #InnovationCenters

First day of the Cities for Sustainability Governance (CSG) transnational meeting in #Braga at the Human Power Hub successfully completed! 🌍 We kicked things off by diving into Braga's #strategy for #sustainable #development, including an in-depth look at their #housing #initiatives and the Human Power Hub itself! The day was full of engaging activities, like our unique #SDG(t)inder, where participants discovered their best SDG matches💡 From there on, small groups had the chance to meet with #local #organizations, learning firsthand about their work on matched SDGs. We wrapped up with productive URBACT Integrated Action Plan sessions. All in all, it’s been a fantastic start to the meeting - highly recommended to have meetings like these with your workgroups! We thanked Stina Heikkilä for her time with CSG, wishing her luck on her upcoming leave and welcomed Sally Kneeshaw onboard with open arms! Hear our Lead Partner, Ville Taajamaa and new Lead Expert, Sally Kneeshaw, share their takeaways! #CitiesForSustainabilityGovernance #CSG #SustainableDevelopment #SDGs #URBACT

🌍 Transnational Meeting of URBACT network Cities for Sustainability Governance (CSG) in Braga at the Human Power Hub. ↘️ On 3 and 4 September, Braga will host key discussions on the future of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and sustainable urban governance. This event is part of the URBACT network, which includes cities such as Gabrovo (Bulgaria), Košice (Slovakia), Tallinn (Estonia), Valencia (Spain), Jablonec nad Nisou (Czech Republic), Agios Dimitrios (Greece) and Mannheim (Germany). ↘️ Cities are being challenged to set ambitious ecological targets for climate and biodiversity, while balancing social and economic sustainability. The Cities for Sustainability Governance (CSG) initiative uses the SDGs as a strategic tool to bridge the ‘action gap’ and turn ambitions into reality, as outlined in the UN's 2030 Agenda. 🌐 Find out more about this URBACT network here 👇 https://lnkd.in/gSiUCxHi 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dA5E9jPd 🤝 Join us to explore how cities can lead the way to a sustainable future! 💡 # humanpowerhub #bragahabit #UrbanSustainability #SDGs #URBACT #CitiesForSustainability #Agenda2030 #Braga

🌍 Empowering Leadership and Vision for Sustainable Governance Lenka Opočenská, Deputy Mayor of Jablonec, has shared her #insights and personal reflections on #leadership and #sustainability. 🎙️ "As a woman leader, what inspire me are other women leaders, especially those who are brave. Examples of #goodpractice, #mistakes, and #problems also inspire me because I can learn from the #challenges and mistakes." She also highlighted her #personal and #professional challenges: "On a personal level, I constantly battle with #selfconfidence and #doubts about my competency and role in politics. Professionally, a significant challenge is #motivating my #political #colleagues to embrace #sustainable #governance. Unfortunately, we lack a #shared #vision💡. We need a vision built from the bottom up, a story that connects everyone, and this is something I aim to achieve in my future political career." https://lnkd.in/dhp6EbKy 🌎 #WomenInLeadership #SustainableGovernance #VisionForFuture #CommunityEngagement #SDGs #SustainableFuture

🌍 Espoo's Journey Towards Sustainability: A Unified Vision 📆 At our recent transnational meeting, Jukka Mäkelä, Mayor of Espoo 🇫🇮 emphasized the city's #commitment to achieving concrete results in the field of #sustainability and the continuous #opportunity to learn and grow. 🎙️ Mayor Mäkelä shared, "Espoo is a growing city. During my lifetime, our population has grown tenfold, and our biggest #challenge is to keep this #growth #sustainable. We created our city strategy together with our residents, companies, and universities, calling it the "Espoo Story". It’s essential to have a common story and common goals when creating a #SustainableEspoo, sustainable #Finland, and a sustainable #Europe." https://lnkd.in/dQeQmJ93 👏 Let's work together towards a sustainable future! Stay tuned for more updates and insights from our network! 🌎 #EspooSustainability #SustainableGrowth #CommunityEngagement #SDGs #SustainableFuture

🎙️ Mayor of Gabrovo, Tania Hristova, inspires with her vision: "The objective is to make the people of Gabrovo #happier, more #successful, more #competitive, more #entrepreneurial, and to engage with the #SDGs is at the heart of our #strategy! Despite the challenges to translate these goals to citizens, I believe that through different #projects and peer-to-peer learning, we can overcome this. Creating a #common #story will engage and unite us towards achieving the #SustainableDevelopmentGoals." ✨ https://lnkd.in/dJSfcVTk 🌎 #GabrovoSustainability #ClimateAction #SDGs #CSG #Cities #SustainableFuture

🌍 𝐆𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐨 𝐌𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐔𝐑𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 📆 On July 5, 2024, Gabrovo Municipality hosted a crucial URBACT Local Group Core Meeting as part of the URBACT Cities for Sustainability Governance (CSG) project. Gabrovo's strong commitment to sustainability and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) continues! (#SDG11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities) 🎙️ Mayor Tanya Hristova opened the meeting with passionate remarks, emphasizing Gabrovo's strong commitment to the goals of the CSG project. She highlighted the importance of sharing and learning from each other's experiences to drive sustainable urban development. (#SDG17: Partnerships for the Goals) 🤝 The event brought together experts from the newly formed Directorate of Sustainable Development in the Municipality, highlighting Gabrovo's determination to address the challenges on its path towards sustainable development collaboratively. (#SDG16 - Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) 🌱 Key discussions centered around building a climate action mandate, effective transition team models, and staff engagement. Overcoming challenges in action plan development, identifying impact pathways, and governance metrics were emphasized. The broader goal was to establish the scope of the Climate Transition Unit, aimed at achieving zero carbon emissions by 2030. (#SDG13: Climate Action) 🌐 Participants received updates on Gabrovo's involvement in several EU projects that collectively contribute to sustainable urban development by exploring new governance models and aligning strategies with SDGs. (#SDG9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) 🗺️ Stakeholder engagement took center stage, exploring mapping strategies to foster collaboration (#SDG17 - partnerships for the goals). The afternoon sessions discussed the Gabrovo Innovation Camp 2024 set for October 2024 - one of the cornerstones towards achieving the goals of Gabrovo's Integrated Action Plan under the CSG project. 🔍 The workshop concluded with actionable insights and strategies for driving climate action planning forward in Gabrovo. Additionally, policies for sustainability were aligned with Gabrovo's officially declared ambition to candidate for the European Capital of Culture 2032! (#SDG13: Climate Action) 👏 Go Gabrovo, go! Stay tuned for more updates from our network partners! 🌎 #GabrovoSustainability #ClimateAction #SDGs #CSG #Cities  #SustainableFuture