Background
The 2024 Local and Regional Governments Forum
- 2024 is a key year for the local and regional government constituency as it is the year in which the UN’s Summit of the Future will be taking place, meant to forge a “new global consensus” on what our shared future should look like, and what can be done today to secure it. The local and regional government constituency has been actively involved in the Summit of the Future process ensuring ways to strengthen engagement between local and regional governments and the UN System through the Local Authorities Major Group and through the Advisory Group on Local and Regional Governments to the United Nations Secretary-General.
- As we approach the Summit of the Future as the space for the renewal of the multilateral system and through a more enabling global financial architecture, the 2024 HLPF discussions will be building on previous and coming milestones, such as the Financing for Development Forum, the SIDS conference, the World Urban Forum and the COP, among others.
- Within this context, the Local and Regional Governments Forum (LRGF), a Special Event to be held during the 2024 High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), will illustrate the interconnected importance and breadth of local action and governing in partnership to power the SDG Rescue plan through the six key SDG transitions.
- Building on this legacy, during this edition of the LRGF, special emphasis will be given to building up high-impact coalitions led by local and regional governments, as transformative and multisectoral partnerships, drivers of progress and future-oriented.
- A special focus will be given to the five SDGs under review in the 2024 HLPF: SDG 1 (no poverty), SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG 13 (climate action), SDG 16 (peace, justice, and strong institutions), and SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals). The LRGF will delve into the interconnection between these SDGs effective implementation with multilevel cooperation.
- The role of Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) and Voluntary Subnational Reviews (VSRs) in fostering policy transformation towards the achievement of the SDGs will be highlighted, as well as their connection with Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs).
- This Special Event will be an opportunity for the constituency of local and regional governments to share key messages and inputs towards the Summit of the Future, to be held in September 2024, and the World Social Summit, to be held in 2025. The Local and Regional Governments Forum will therefore bring together local, regional, and national governments as well as representatives from the United Nations and other stakeholders to discuss how high-impact localization policies, partnerships, multilevel governance, and financing can close the gap in the implementation of the SDGs.
Objectives:
The objective of the 2024 LRGF is to showcase effective localization policies and high impact coalitions led by the local and regional government constituency, in relation to the SDGs under review at the 2024 HLPF, and with a particular focus on the SDG Rescue Plan and the links of the 2030 Agenda with the Summit of the Future. The LRGF will aim at featuring innovative advancements in local reporting and monitoring initiatives such as the VLRs and VSRs in connection to VNRs, as well as to foster multilevel governance and partnerships among different spheres of government, the international community, and other stakeholders towards closing the gap on SDG implementation.
Organizers: UN DESA, Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments (GTF), UN-Habitat, UNDP and the Local 2030 Coalition.
Contact: policy@uclg.org
This event is open to all registered participants of the 2024 HLPF.
Member states delegates, UN Staff, and other stakeholder who have a valid UN Grounds Pass are welcome to attend the event in person without registration.
Dedicated registration for the LRGF is now closed. Confirmation letters are being sent to approved participants.
If you are unable to attend, you can follow the meeting live here: https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k13/k132baz59f
Please, check below for information about previous editions of the Local and Regional Governments Forum:
1st Local and Regional Government Forum, July 2018
2nd Local and Regional Government Forum, September 2019 (SDG Summit)
3rd Local and Regional Government Forum, July 2020
4th Local and Regional Government Forum, July 2021
5th Local and Regional Government Forum, July 2022
6th Local and Regional Government Forum, July 2023
SDG Action Weekend - Local and Regional Government Forum, September 2023
7th Local and Regional Governments Forum, July 2024.
Partner events in connection with the HLPF
- HLPF 2024 Special Events
- Calendar of events of the Organized Constituency of Local and Regional Governments
- SDG Localization Track at the 2024 HLPF (Compiled by the Local 2030 Coalition)
- UN-Habitat SDG Localization Track
Learn More:
- For more information on the Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments: https://www.global-taskforce.org/
- For more information on the GTF Reports to the HLPF: https://www.gold.uclg.org/report/localizing-sdgs-boost-monitoring-reporting
- For more information on Voluntary Subnational Reviews (VSRs): https://gold.uclg.org/report/localizing-sdgs-boost-monitoring-reporting#field-sub-report-tab-1
- For more information on the impact of VSRs as told by the local government associations who produced them: https://gold.uclg.org/sites/default/files/field-document/insightsnote.pdf
- For more information on Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs): https://www.gold.uclg.org/report/localizing-sdgs-boost-monitoring-reporting#field-sub-report-tab-3
- For more information on the Country Profiles on SDG Localization: https://www.gold.uclg.org/report/localizing-sdgs-boost-monitoring-reporting#field-sub-report-tab-5
