Global Covenant of Mayors: Implementing the NUA and SDGs in Municipalities
The Regional Seminar “Strengthening the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the New Urban Agenda (NUA) in Municipalities – Central-West Region” featured a dedicated panel discussing the contributions of the Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM) to advancing these agendas at the municipal level in Brazil. Organized by the Brazilian Association of Municipalities (ABM), the event took place on November 5-6, 2019, in Brasília.
The seminar highlighted the opportunity to discuss the SDGs and the NUA in Brazilian municipalities, an initiative supported by the European Union through the Partnership for Sustainable Development project and the International Urban Cooperation Program for Latin America and the Caribbean (IUC LAC), which implements the GCoM in the region. On the first day, municipal managers, representatives of international organizations, and third-sector participants shared challenges and opportunities for cities to implement these agendas locally.
As a direct response to the implementation of the NUA, the GCoM was understood as an opportunity to strengthen the implementation of the SDGs and the NUA at the local level.
The initiative was presented by Lise Pate, Program Manager of the Foreign Policy Instrument (FPI) at the Delegation of the European Union in Brazil. Lise also demonstrated how the GCoM promotes the sharing of best practices among signatory cities and their partners and highlights the challenges and opportunities for mayors to drive change locally.
“The commitment to the GCoM enables the implementation of several SDGs and the NUA in municipalities by diagnosing climate challenges, planning actions, and monitoring progress,” said Lise, emphasizing the importance of the initiative for Latin America and the Caribbean.
The panel on the GCoM also included Mayor Marcos Santana of São Cristóvão, SE, who shared the perspective of a city committed to and engaged with the GCoM community. Additionally, Rebecca Borges, a representative of the GCoM Helpdesk, presented the support services available to municipalities within this alliance.
Fostering spaces for experience-sharing among municipalities is critical to addressing the challenges cities face, promoting best practices, and encouraging engagement with these agendas. Such efforts contribute to building a low-carbon, resilient future in cities and urban areas.
The Seminar
The event facilitated an exchange of experiences among municipalities with consistent planning and action related to the SDGs. It also provided spaces and tools to drive the implementation and advancement of this agenda. Another essential tool developed under the Partnership for Sustainable Development project is the Public Policy Observatory, launched in August, which serves as a repository of experiences related to the 17 SDG goals.
During the presentations, the importance of municipalities and their key role in implementing the SDGs was emphasized, as well as the transformative impact these goals can have on municipal development. Eduardo Tadeu Pereira of ABM highlighted the need to raise awareness among municipal managers about this critical role.
