Field of goals: Co-production and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in regional and local planning

The collaborative project Field of Goals: From goals to meaning to action - Co-production and implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in regional and local planning has developed a framework for implementing the Sustainable Development Goals in local and regional planning. To achieve a just and sustainable world by 2030, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals that are part of Agenda2030 must be translated into different local and regional contexts. The framework that has been developed in the project is intended to make this job easier – both for planners and politicians. The FOG framework is based on the three elements of finding, translating and implementing - so that the Sustainable Development Goals can contribute to action locally. The methods and tools in the framework have been tested in collaboration with seven municipalities, county councils and state administrators in the two regions of Nordland and Vestland and can be adapted to different contexts and planning types. This means that both small and large municipalities can work with the SDGs, with the aim of identifying and changing current planning practices that are not sustainable. The fact that planning should contribute to sustainable development is already stated in the Planning and Building Act. Nevertheless, the SDGs represent a completely new way of concretizing the content of the concept through goals, targets and indicators. The project has developed a methodology that can assist local and regional implementation of the sustainability goals, using scenarios and system models that identifies goal conflicts and potential synergies. This new knowledge is integrated into relevant study programs at four planning education programs in Norway and Denmark. The project will also assess previous and ongoing work on sustainable development in the regions of Nordland and Vestland, as well as participate in the public debate on how Norway can contribute to achieving the sustainability goals.

Gjennom kartlegging av hvordan kommuner og fylkeskommuner har jobbet med bærekraftsmålene i planlegging, har prosjektet bidratt til å sette søkelyset på hva som skal til for at globale mål kan omsettes til konkret handling. En viktig forutsetning for å lykkes med å omgjøre bærekraftsmålene til praktisk politikk er at de må gjøres lokalt meningsfulle. Prosjektet har identifisert viktige elementer i disse oversettelsesprosessene og pekt på utfordringer knyttet til synergier og målkonflikter i dette arbeidet. Prosjektet har videre utviklet et statistisk verktøy for å analysere målkonflikter og synergier i FNs globale datasett for bærekraftsmålene, samt i en nyetablert database med rundt 700 bærekraftsindikatorer for norske kommuner. I nær dialog og samarbeid med samarbeidspartnere har forskere bidratt direkte inn i pågående planprosesser med mål om å omsette kunnskap til handling i konkrete planer. Gjennom forskningsformidling, i form av vitenskapelige publikasjoner, filmer, podkast, webinarer og presentasjoner, har prosjektet bidratt til å tilgjengeliggjøre erfaringer og metoder for lokalt bærekraftsarbeid. Prosjektet har bidratt til å sette søkelys på målkonflikter i arbeidet med bærekraftsmål i lokal og regional planlegging, samt pekt på de spesifikke utfordringene Norge har i dette omstillingsarbeidet. Gjennom verktøy og metodikk, har prosjektet vist hvordan kommuner, fylkeskommuner og staten kan jobbe med bærekraftsmål i praksis. Disse verktøyene er tilgjengeliggjort og kan brukes for at kommuner og fylkeskommuner jobber målrettet med en rettferdig og bærekraftig omstilling i sitt planarbeid.

Fields of goals is a truly interdisciplinary project addressing the urgent call for implementing the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs) at the regional and local level. The point of departure is how context-specific dimensions to societies and natural systems, must be at the core when implementing these global standards. The complexity connected to balancing environmental, economic and social values in societal planning, pose several challenges to planners, authorities and businesses. The overall ambition of FOG is to develop a framework for implementing the SDG in local and regional planning. This framework will be based on lessons learned from Local and Regional Agenda A21 and output from workshops and focus groups where relevant SDG goals and targets, will be contextualized with the help of regional scenarios and indicators. The FOG framework will be developed through five interlinked work packages. The project consortium consists of experienced and young scholars, regional and local planning authorities in two Norwegian regions (Nordland and Vestland), four educational institutions, and representatives from the wider society. Through workshops and focus groups, stakeholders and planners will contribute to co-production of knowledge and social learning to the wider community. The project is expected to contribute to the overall objectives of DEMOS by strengthening the concept of sustainable development through co-production of knowledge and social learning across sectors and stakeholder groups, as well as how sustainable development can be aligned with the Planning and Building Act.