87
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
D. B. Abraham, S. D. Iyer (eds.), Promoting the Sustainable Development Goals in North American
Cities, Sustainable Development Goals Series, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59173-1_7
Top-Down and Bottom-Up
Approaches to the SDG Monitoring
Challenge
Jessica Espey
7.1
Introduction
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),
universally adopted by the world’s governments
in 2015, aim to set a framework for action on economic development, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability. In the USA, the
engagement of local government leaders in SDG
implementation and associated monitoring is crucial as 85% of the domestic population lives in
cities and their surrounding metropolitan areas.
1
These cities are centers of economic enterprise
and innovation. In 2017 the ten largest metropolitan areas generated $6.8 trillion in economic
value, surpassing the output of the sum of 37 US
states.
2
But they are also responsible for much of
the country’s waste and environmental destruc1 SDSN’s calculations. See Espey, Jessica, Dahmm,
Hayden, and Laurie Manderino (2018) Leaving No US
Cities Behind: The U.S. Cities SDG Index, Issue 2018,
New York: UNSDSN. Available at: http://unsdsn.org/wpcontent/uploads/2018/06/US-Cities-Index-Report.pdf
2 USCM (2018) US Metro Economies: Economic Growth
and Full Employment, Annual GMP Report, Prepared for
The United States Conference of Mayors and The Council
on Metro Economies and the New American City by HIS
tent/uploads/2018/06/Metro-Economies-GMPJune-2018.pdf
tion, including more than 80% of the country’s
CO 2 emissions.
3
It is cities in the USA that will
make or break sustainable development for the
country.
In support of city-level action on the SDGs,
the UN Sustainable Development Solutions
Network (SDSN) has been working with US cities since late 2014 exploring ways of localizing
and implementing the global goals. Central to all
of these discussions has been data, data which
can tell city representatives their starting point,
can support them to set realistic benchmarks
between now and the 2030 deadline, and can help
track their progress. Indeed, data has been such a
foundational aspect of all of the local SDG implementation conversations SDSN has had across
US cities (including in Atlanta, Baltimore,
Boston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Milwaukee,
New York, Orlando, San Jose, and South Bend)
that in 2016 SDSN’s urban and data programs
launched a crossover initiative called the Local
Data Action project which aims to create a library
of case studies and technical knowledge documenting how to engage with and monitor the
SDGs at city and regional levels. This has been a
useful technical exercise which has showcased
different methods and approaches for integrating
3 Jones, C., and D. Kammen, (2014) Spatial Distribution
of U.S. Household Carbon Footprints Reveals
Suburbanization Undermines Greenhouse Gas Benefits of
Urban Population Density, Environmental Science &
Technology, Vol 48, Issue 2, Pages 895–902.
J. Espey (*)
Sustainable Development Solutions Network,
New York, NY, USA
e-mail: jessica.espey@unsdsn.org
7
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
D. B. Abraham, S. D. Iyer (eds.), Promoting the Sustainable Development Goals in North American
Cities, Sustainable Development Goals Series, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59173-1_7
Top-Down and Bottom-Up
Approaches to the SDG Monitoring
Challenge
Jessica Espey
7.1
Introduction
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),
universally adopted by the world’s governments
in 2015, aim to set a framework for action on economic development, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability. In the USA, the
engagement of local government leaders in SDG
implementation and associated monitoring is crucial as 85% of the domestic population lives in
cities and their surrounding metropolitan areas.
1
These cities are centers of economic enterprise
and innovation. In 2017 the ten largest metropolitan areas generated $6.8 trillion in economic
value, surpassing the output of the sum of 37 US
states.
2
But they are also responsible for much of
the country’s waste and environmental destruc1 SDSN’s calculations. See Espey, Jessica, Dahmm,
Hayden, and Laurie Manderino (2018) Leaving No US
Cities Behind: The U.S. Cities SDG Index, Issue 2018,
New York: UNSDSN. Available at: http://unsdsn.org/wpcontent/uploads/2018/06/US-Cities-Index-Report.pdf
2 USCM (2018) US Metro Economies: Economic Growth
and Full Employment, Annual GMP Report, Prepared for
The United States Conference of Mayors and The Council
on Metro Economies and the New American City by HIS
tent/uploads/2018/06/Metro-Economies-GMPJune-2018.pdf
tion, including more than 80% of the country’s
CO 2 emissions.
3
It is cities in the USA that will
make or break sustainable development for the
country.
In support of city-level action on the SDGs,
the UN Sustainable Development Solutions
Network (SDSN) has been working with US cities since late 2014 exploring ways of localizing
and implementing the global goals. Central to all
of these discussions has been data, data which
can tell city representatives their starting point,
can support them to set realistic benchmarks
between now and the 2030 deadline, and can help
track their progress. Indeed, data has been such a
foundational aspect of all of the local SDG implementation conversations SDSN has had across
US cities (including in Atlanta, Baltimore,
Boston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Milwaukee,
New York, Orlando, San Jose, and South Bend)
that in 2016 SDSN’s urban and data programs
launched a crossover initiative called the Local
Data Action project which aims to create a library
of case studies and technical knowledge documenting how to engage with and monitor the
SDGs at city and regional levels. This has been a
useful technical exercise which has showcased
different methods and approaches for integrating
3 Jones, C., and D. Kammen, (2014) Spatial Distribution
of U.S. Household Carbon Footprints Reveals
Suburbanization Undermines Greenhouse Gas Benefits of
Urban Population Density, Environmental Science &
Technology, Vol 48, Issue 2, Pages 895–902.
J. Espey (*)
Sustainable Development Solutions Network,
New York, NY, USA
e-mail: jessica.espey@unsdsn.org
7