Cartographic/thematic Global Agenda 2030 Platform as new, interactive part of the existing comprehensive SDG information platform
UNESCO Global Geopark Bergstraße-Odenwald
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Non-governmental organization (NGO)
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#SDGAction33808
Description
In 2017 the UNESCO Global Geopark has implemented on its website comprehensive SDG platform containing general information, best practice examples from the Geopark´s activities and tasks, as well as helpful links. In the next step, the members and partners were invited to become more active and aware of the SDGs in their communities and also all-over the territory. Therefore, an interactive, GIS-based SDG platform hs been conceived. Starting from a comprehensive and visually appalling general cartographic overview we used zoom techniques to display actions, projects and ideas from our member municipalities that support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2030. The map layout makes it easy for residents to find activities and projects in close proximity to their location and a search function lets them filter through all 17 SDGs. The sustainability platform also provides a forum to establish synergies for municipalities which work in similar projects and promotes interregional activities
In a first step, information has been collected and evaluated by a staff member of the UNESCO Global Geopark, researching projects and activities in our territory on the internet. In a second step, those results were categorized due to the SDG classification and a report was created for every member community (102 entities) and counties (7 entities). The report was then enriched with pictures, videos and hyperlinks to different organizations. Those reports were given to the member communities and counties for further evaluation and correction of the given information. For public exposure, an interactive cartographic framework has been created in which every community and sub-state is displayed on a map. It is possible to filter the entities for SDGs and access the report by clicking on them. The final result is accessible through these links: Geo-Naturpark Bergstraße-Odenwald - Globale Nachhaltigkeitsziele 2030 im Geo-Naturpark Bergstraße-Odenwald (UNESCO Global Geopark) (geo-naturpark.net) https://geo-naturpark.net/deutsch/nachhaltigkeitsziele/nachhaltigkeitsp…
The platform has been presented at the annual member community gathering. It has been advertised by newsletters, in our organization magazine and on social media. The platform is online since 01.Sep.2020. In the period until today 03.Feb.2021 (5 months) is has received 500 active views and visitors.
The major factors for the success of the platform were technological capabilities of using the existing GIS-software by Esri for the platform and our knowledgable staff collecting the information in the first place. Our intensive exchange with the member communities made it possible to enrich the reports with more in-detail information. That help from the side of the communities was crucial part of the success. We think that the cartographic representation of the information made it more accessible and understandable to the end-user and that this good practice should continue in other projects.
The platform is sustainable by itself and replicable for each territory. The implementation has been strengthened the bonds between the UNESCO Global Geopark and its members and partners and is considered to be a very good service and participation tool and also a uniting activity. The development and gathering of information is time consuming, but the successful outcome makes it definitely worth. The framework of the platform is limited to users of Esri-Software. It is therefore not readily shareable with other organizations. We aim at enriching the platform with more information and projects in an ongoing process.
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COVID-19 has not negatively impacted the implementation of this practice. It is, on the opposite, more likely that interest in local measures and projects concerning the SDGs has surged in the pandemic and user numbers have increased.
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Other beneficiaries
The main beneficiaries of the platform are the member communities of the UNESCO Global Geopark, the 7 counties and our organizational partners such as the local Geopark-Groups. Apart from them, every citizen benefits from the new opportunity to gather information about the implementation of the SDGs in the territory in one platform. In addition, the platform underlines the function of the UNESCO Global Geopark as trans-regional network supporting, highlighting and promoting the SDGs as a whole and in detail by examples of members and partners. As side effect, the members become aware of their own abilities regarding the implementation of the SDGs.
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Marcus, Cartographic/thematic Global Agenda 2030 Platform as new, interactive part of the existing comprehensive SDG information platform