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Localizing the SDGs in Complex Metropolitan Structures: Lessons and Insights from eThekwini Municipality, South Africa

Details:

Year published: 2022
Categories: Book Chapter
URL Link: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-95979-1_12

Author / Authors:

  • Puvendra Akkiah

Abstract

Abstract

Over the past years, eThekwini municipality (also known as Durban) has emerged as an exemplar city for biodiversity and climate change action and also for the localization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in an African city context. Key to the SDG localization approach has been the use of its medium-term Integrated Development Plan to align the work of the municipality with the SDG goals and targets. This chapter looks at some of the factors that have shaped eThekwini’s approach to SDG localization. Chief among them is the city’s longstanding track record of engagement and participation in global sustainability networks and agendas through an active leadership that has fostered the emergence of local sustainability champions within the city. While eThekwini shares many challenges with other metropolitan African cities around multilevel governance, active local leadership has made the city carve out its own path toward the practical implementation of global policy in a way that is grounded in local processes and through priority actions that are suited to its specific context.

Keywords - SDG localization, eThekwini, Integrated Development Plan, City leadership, Metropolitan governance


Categories:

  • Book Chapter