Photo by Cláudia Sousa on Unsplash
29 May 2024
Mafra Municipality shares its experience on SDG Implementation with other SDG Cities, Brisbane and Madinah
On May 15th, key stakeholders from SDG Cities: Mafra Municipality from Portugal, Madinah Development Authority from Saudi Arabia, Brisbane City Council from Australia, and UN-Habitat joined in an online session to exchange knowledge and experiences in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the local level. This event underscored the critical role cities play in advancing the SDGs amid rapid urbanization and challenges in SDG implementation.
A central theme of the session was the effective management of SDG projects. Mafra has developed an extensive project pipeline consisting of 192 projects with a total investment value of €1.1 billion. They demonstrated their expertise in building an SDG-aligned project pipeline, establishing a government accountability system, and designing a model that integrates both public and private funding. This pipeline not only takes stock of existing projects and plans for future ones based on its strategic plan, but also categorizes them according to the SDGs across short-term, mid-term, and long-term horizons. This approach enables more effective impact management. By categorizing projects into public, public-private partnerships (PPP), and private initiatives, cities can better align their efforts with available resources and investment opportunities. In addition to ongoing efforts, Mafra introduced a system where each councilor of the city is designated as a champion for specific SDGs. This ensures that every SDG receives focused attention, with clear accountability and structured delivery mechanisms. The aim is to streamline efforts, optimize resources, and guarantee that the city's SDG commitments are effectively translated into tangible actions.
The Mafra More Sustainable team also presented their detailed roadmap, derived from their data and Voluntary Local Review (VLR), which outlines strategies for implementing the VLR. This roadmap evaluates current status and future goals, ensuring a structured, phased approach to implementation. Mafra’s meticulous planning exemplifies how cities can effectively navigate their path toward sustainable development.
Cities face significant challenges in securing the necessary fiscal resources to support SDG projects. Mafra's approach to overcoming these challenges highlights two main components emphasized in SDG Cities: institutional capacity and finance and implementation. By establishing an SDG lab and aligning its projects with SDGs and financial needs, Mafra has created an environment conducive to investment. This strategy not only showcases Mafra's commitment and strategic planning but also strengthens institutional capacity. The SDG lab plays a crucial role in planning, managing, and implementing SDG initiatives, ensuring that projects are well-supported, sustainable, and effectively address both local and global sustainability goals.
Mafra’s involvement in the Lusophone initiative, which promotes SDG implementation across Portuguese-speaking cities, highlights the value of international collaboration. Similarly, Brisbane City Council and Madinah Development Authority emphasized its commitment to learning from other cities' experiences. This collaborative spirit facilitates the sharing of best practices and fosters a global community of cities dedicated to sustainable development.
The SDG Cities Global Community, soon to be launched by UN-Habitat, will provide cities and partners with a platform for peer learning, capacity building, and partnership development. This initiative will support the global effort to localize the SDGs, thereby accelerating the achievement of the SDGs and fostering resilient, sustainable urban futures, through strategic collaboration and knowledge exchange.