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The transport sector is one of the main sources of global GHG emissions, of which road transport emissions are greatest. The decarbonisation of road transport requires systemic changes combined with technological interventions to optimise the use of transport modes. Given the diverse options for road transport decarbonisation due to differences in...

One emerging issue in Padang City, Indonesia is waste management. In addition to a rise in population, modern lifestyles and tourism development have resulted in burgeoning waste generation, as well as more littering and burning of waste. This problem has exceeded the waste management capacity of the city. Consequently, the Batang Arau river, one...

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...

Tracking decarbonization effects requires a model for the identification of spatial energy demands on city facilities. However, most developing countries lack detailed discrete time and device-specific energy demand data. In this study, we installed multiple energy demand monitoring systems that could observe electricity demands at the device level...

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...

This presentation explores how Japanese cities are planning to transition to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. It first reviews national mechanisms in place to support local governments’ efforts to become net-zero. The presentation continues by presenting the case of Kitakyushu City and its current policies. It concludes by asking how a shrinking...

This presentation explores how Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) can help to accelerate the local implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It reviews the benefits of conducting a VLR for local governments, and details how this process provides a framework to guide SDG localisation, looking at recent examples of cities that have...

Planners worldwide are exploring ways to regenerate shrinking cities, varying from pro-growth strategies with the aim of reversing population losses, to strategies that manage urban decline by adjusting the built environment to a smaller population. However, both approaches are reactionary rather than anticipatory, addressing decline after...

A Voluntary Local Review (VLR) is an instrument to review and follow-up progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), thus accelerating their localisation. Since 2018, a growing number of local governments worldwide are turning to the VLR process to articulate their sustainable development policies, highlighting the growing...