Dr.

Fernando ORTIZ-MOYA

The ASEAN State of the Environment Report (SOER) is a regular flagship publication of the ASEAN Senior Officials on Environment (ASOEN) which is periodically published every 3-5 years. The SOERs present a comprehensive review of the state and trends of the environment, the pressures on it and the drivers of those pressures, and the national and...

Nationwide ageing and dramatic depopulation threaten the survival of many Japanese small-sized towns and villages. To address this challenge—which is not unique but that in Japan is compounded by uneven urbanization patterns and increasing ruptures within the socioeconomic order—the Government of Japan is encouraging municipalities to adopt a pro...

Halfway to the 2030 deadline, humanity is clearly off-track on the Global Goals. Achieving the Sustainable­­ Development Goals (SDGs) proposed in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development remains a significant challenge for society. Numerous and compounding crises—including coping with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing armed...

Regions and places face unprecedented challenges that need ambitious policies to drive sustainable transitions. While the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been shaping the policies (or at least the discourse) of national governments and supranational organisations, there is...

The implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relies on effective policy integration at all levels of government. However, integration across policy domains remains challenging for local authorities, particularly when it comes to articulating policies that recognise trade-offs and interactions between different SDGs. This study...

This presentation focuses on the follow-up and review of the SDGs at the local level through Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs). The presentation explores the principles, methods and benefits of conducting VLRs, highlighting how they contribute to localised and effective SDG implementation.

Amidst ongoing conversations surrounding the attainment of net-zero emissions, it is crucial to underscore the importance of aligning substantive climate action with overarching sustainability objectives. The Voluntary Local Reviews (VLR) movement is gaining momentum, presenting an opportunity to extend its influence in fostering sustainable...

This presentation looks at the Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs), published between 2018 and 2021, to explore the importance of tracking SDG progress at the local level. The presentation looks at practical approaches, tools and frameworks for capturing SDG progress at the local level, highlighting the need for inclusive and transparent reporting...

This paper explores the challenges and opportunities of VLRs for better recovery in the context of the disruption to urban planning and policymaking caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. It does so by focusing on 12 cities that conducted a VLR between 2019 and 2020 as case studies. These include: Barcelona, Bonn, Bristol, Buenos Aires, Espoo, Ghent, La...

The COVID-19 pandemic has continued to impact the world in 2021. Nevertheless, a record number of Local and Regional Governments (LRGs) have presented a Voluntary Local Review (VLRs) in 2021. For many of them, this year’s review was their second or third edition. VLRs are a process through which LRGs conduct a voluntary assessment of their progress...