Tampere prepared its first Voluntary Local Review of the implementation of the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

The Voluntary Local Review examines the activities of the City of Tampere in relation to the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals from a global, national and local perspective. The review describes how easily the seemingly distant global goals also affect Tampere residents and how the City Group promotes the goals locally.

- The local review serves as a clear demonstration of how the City of Tampere Group is linked to each of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in its operations. However, in addition to local perspectives, we must pay more attention to the global perspective and strive to make Tampere a place that radiates positively beyond our borders, says Development Manager Sanna Mari Huikuri.

City of Sustainable Action – The Voluntary Local Review of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in Tampere 2022 was presented at the City Council’s strategy seminar on Monday 13 June, and the report has been sent to the UN. The review is a continuation of the city’s strategy work carried out in 2021 on the basis of wide participation and diverse knowledge base.

- The review makes visible the commendable work done by the entire City Group to promote the 17 global goals locally. It is equally important that the review also highlights areas in which Tampere still has work to do. I hope that the review helps and inspires us to work even harder towards the global goals. At the same time, we will ensure that Tampere provides the conditions for a good life for every resident, says Mayor Anna-Kaisa Ikonen.

In the local review, the Tampere perspectives are highlighted both as themes and case examples and through the city’s monitoring indicators. The local review does not offer a detailed analysis of the state of sustainable development in Tampere, nor does it provide a summary or recommendations for action regarding clear challenges and successes. Instead, the purpose of the review is to serve as material and an initiative for further work on the 2030 Agenda goals, which will also focus on deepening the cooperation between Tampere-based operators and other cities to promote the goals.

Cities play a significant role in promoting and influencing sustainable development

Adopted by all UN Member States in 2015, the 2030 Agenda is an action plan for sustainable development that aims to eradicate extreme poverty from the world and to secure well-being for all within the limits of the carrying capacity of the environment by 2030. The Agenda comprises 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which all countries should reach together by 2030.

Although the responsibility for achieving the 2030 Agenda goals rests with national governments, for sustainable development, the role of cities as local promoters and global influencers is significant. It has been estimated that about two-thirds of the work done to implement the 2030 Agenda goals in Finland takes place in municipalities and cities through their statutory tasks, development activities and local innovations.

Tampere confirmed its commitment to implementing the 2030 Agenda in November 2021, when the City of Action strategy was approved.

The preparation of Voluntary Local Reviews is becoming an established part of credible and transparent work on sustainable development around the world. The reviews allow cities to become part of the growing network of sustainable cities. To date, slightly more than 100 cities have submitted their local reviews to the UN, and of Finnish cities Helsinki, Espoo, Turku and Vantaa are already involved.
 

Further information

Sanna Huikuri
Phone:
050 432 4022
Text: Raija Lindell
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