64
context, fragmented prioritization in policymaking and implementation, and little attention
to whole-systems integrated thinking.
The interview data offered similarly important
insights, particularly into the perceptions of local
elected and appointed officials about global-level
goals and international commitments. What
seems as a simultaneously interconnected and
distanced relationship between the multiple levels of government in B.C. provides a telling argument for the lack of interest or comprehension of
the UN Global Agenda. The analysis also
revealed a misconception that “localizing the
SDGs” absolutely requires full awareness, or
even in-depth understanding, of global issues and
problems in other parts of the world.
A viewpoint expressed by some interviewees
is that the SDGs could be an opportunity for local
governments to receive funding and other
resources from higher levels of government and
could offer an engaging way of approaching the
potential of the SDGs. The SDGs could help initiate change at the local level even if they are perceived as an intermediate means to achieve a
community’s overarching goal, i.e., high quality
of life and well-being for its citizens.
These findings are a strong indication of the
imperative to inform and educate local governments and their citizens about the SDGs so that
the latter hold the former accountable for local,
national, and global commitments. Thanks to
their versatile structure, the SDGs can equip
communities with a broad and holistic framework for all levels of decision-making, from
identifying core values, setting goals, and forming partnerships to inclusive implementation and
assessment (Mesa et al. 2019).
5.6
Recommendations
In accordance with the above findings, our recommendations to both municipalities revolved
around a customized comprehensive framework
with a set of forward-looking and holisticthinking indicators based on the SDGs and our
research with the CCT. As mentioned above, the
CCT conceptualizes communities as placeoriented, scalable, dynamic systems and is rooted
in a framework that considers effects on six
mutually reinforcing forms of capital: natural,
physical, economic, human, social, and cultural.
The Tool includes two complementary instruments: (1) the Community Capital Scan, a dialogue- and decision-support tool, and (2) the
Community Capital Balance Sheet, a more rigorous quantitative assessment tool. Both are
grounded in a whole-systems, integrated thinking
and are structured in a very similar way to the
SDGs.
The integration of the adapted version of the
CCT in the two B.C. cities’ decision-making processes can significantly help them achieve their
sustainability goals while becoming ambassadors
for SDG implementation in Canada and beyond.
The Tool is a good fit to help localize the SDGs in
all stages of the decision-making and monitoring
process using a contextually relevant approach:
firstly by expanding awareness about the global
goals and increasing stakeholder participation,
transparency, and perception of accountability;
then by facilitating long-term goal setting and
development of detailed, short-term implementation actions; and finally by supporting a locally
focused but globally looking process of monitoring progress, reporting, and evaluating.
To mobilize action toward implementing and
monitoring the SDGs locally, the CCT can help
local officials and citizens align their goals with
each other and with the full set of the SDGs while
achieving effective synergies and efficiencies
between goals and actions. The CCT can offer
the policy roadmap and the data and visualization
platform required to plan for sustainability, monitor progress, and operationalize the SDGs in the
holistic and systemic spirit the SDGs themselves
promote.
The B.C. municipal experience described here
demonstrates that if Canadian cities incorporate
tools such as the CCT into their regular practice,
they can contribute to and become leaders in the
achievement of Canada’s Federal Sustainable
Development Strategy which reflects Canada’s
commitment to the SDGs (Roseland and
Spiliotopoulou 2018). We have every reason to
expect that tools and approaches such as the CCT
M. Spiliotopoulou and M. Roseland
context, fragmented prioritization in policymaking and implementation, and little attention
to whole-systems integrated thinking.
The interview data offered similarly important
insights, particularly into the perceptions of local
elected and appointed officials about global-level
goals and international commitments. What
seems as a simultaneously interconnected and
distanced relationship between the multiple levels of government in B.C. provides a telling argument for the lack of interest or comprehension of
the UN Global Agenda. The analysis also
revealed a misconception that “localizing the
SDGs” absolutely requires full awareness, or
even in-depth understanding, of global issues and
problems in other parts of the world.
A viewpoint expressed by some interviewees
is that the SDGs could be an opportunity for local
governments to receive funding and other
resources from higher levels of government and
could offer an engaging way of approaching the
potential of the SDGs. The SDGs could help initiate change at the local level even if they are perceived as an intermediate means to achieve a
community’s overarching goal, i.e., high quality
of life and well-being for its citizens.
These findings are a strong indication of the
imperative to inform and educate local governments and their citizens about the SDGs so that
the latter hold the former accountable for local,
national, and global commitments. Thanks to
their versatile structure, the SDGs can equip
communities with a broad and holistic framework for all levels of decision-making, from
identifying core values, setting goals, and forming partnerships to inclusive implementation and
assessment (Mesa et al. 2019).
5.6
Recommendations
In accordance with the above findings, our recommendations to both municipalities revolved
around a customized comprehensive framework
with a set of forward-looking and holisticthinking indicators based on the SDGs and our
research with the CCT. As mentioned above, the
CCT conceptualizes communities as placeoriented, scalable, dynamic systems and is rooted
in a framework that considers effects on six
mutually reinforcing forms of capital: natural,
physical, economic, human, social, and cultural.
The Tool includes two complementary instruments: (1) the Community Capital Scan, a dialogue- and decision-support tool, and (2) the
Community Capital Balance Sheet, a more rigorous quantitative assessment tool. Both are
grounded in a whole-systems, integrated thinking
and are structured in a very similar way to the
SDGs.
The integration of the adapted version of the
CCT in the two B.C. cities’ decision-making processes can significantly help them achieve their
sustainability goals while becoming ambassadors
for SDG implementation in Canada and beyond.
The Tool is a good fit to help localize the SDGs in
all stages of the decision-making and monitoring
process using a contextually relevant approach:
firstly by expanding awareness about the global
goals and increasing stakeholder participation,
transparency, and perception of accountability;
then by facilitating long-term goal setting and
development of detailed, short-term implementation actions; and finally by supporting a locally
focused but globally looking process of monitoring progress, reporting, and evaluating.
To mobilize action toward implementing and
monitoring the SDGs locally, the CCT can help
local officials and citizens align their goals with
each other and with the full set of the SDGs while
achieving effective synergies and efficiencies
between goals and actions. The CCT can offer
the policy roadmap and the data and visualization
platform required to plan for sustainability, monitor progress, and operationalize the SDGs in the
holistic and systemic spirit the SDGs themselves
promote.
The B.C. municipal experience described here
demonstrates that if Canadian cities incorporate
tools such as the CCT into their regular practice,
they can contribute to and become leaders in the
achievement of Canada’s Federal Sustainable
Development Strategy which reflects Canada’s
commitment to the SDGs (Roseland and
Spiliotopoulou 2018). We have every reason to
expect that tools and approaches such as the CCT
M. Spiliotopoulou and M. Roseland