Allied European regional entities joining forces to tackle SDGs in a grassroots manner

Kickin' it Old School: Collaboration and Learning across Europe for a Greener Future

Get ready to jam with 20 diverse regions from Portugal to Ukraine, as they team up to share their secrets for boosting sustainability and economic growth. These cross-continental collaborations, dubbed the 2030CATALYSTS: From Monitoring to Action project, will begin in March 2025 at a rockin' Brussels event.

Crafted by the JRC and the European Committee of the Regions, with backing from the European Parliament, this project will provide regional leaders with the tools and knowledge they need to supercharge their SDG policies. The party starts in 2025!

But why mix it up European-style?

Sustainable living is all the rage in EU policy, but the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is still uneven out there. By fosterin' social cohesion, it's crucial to bring the SDGs to the ground level, tailorin' policies to local needs and quirks.

With the help of the JRC, regional heads will throw down a participatory process, teamin' up to share their wisdom and co-create collective knowledge. They'll swap best practices, pass around datasets, and gab about their progress towards monitorin' and reachin' the SDGs.

Here's who's in the band:

Styria (Austria)
North Karelia and Åland Islands (Finland)
Île-de-France (France)
Western Greece and Crete (Greece)
Sicily, Lombardy, and Friuli Venezia Giulia (Italy)
Vidzeme (Latvia)
Tramuntana (Malta)
Norte Region and Centro Region (Portugal)
South-West Oltenia and Centru Region (Romania)
Podravje (Slovenia)
Basque Country, Andalusia, and Canary Islands (Spain)
Rivne Oblast (Ukraine)

The project wraps up in 2026. Aimin' to be local heroes, participants will refine their methods for SDG monitoring and implementation, leveragin' each region's unique strengths to crush challenges. This project's goal? Inspire local stars who can contribute to a more sustainable, resilient, inclusive global future.

But wait, there's more!

Monitorin' regional progress towards the SDGs is crucial for smooth implementation. In that spirit, 2030CATALYSTS builds on the foundation laid by another JRC project. In the REGIONS2030 era, 10 European regions banded together to co-develop the very first set of robust regional indicators, greatly enhancin' their capacity for monitorin' and reportin' SDG progress.

Setting the Stage

Sustainable development's the name of the game in the European Union. With locally-focused action essential to turning the SDGs into effective policies and strategies, it's crucial to slash social, economic, and territorial disparities within the Union.

Integratin' the 17 SDGs into local plans means defining, implementin', and monitorin' local strategies. This is the key to win the United Nations' game in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The JRC plays an integral role in SDG localization, helpin' regions move forward through data, capacity buildin', and expert guidance. JRC work has been recognized in the European Parliament's 2023 report on the implementation and delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the Council's 2024 conclusions on the 2030 Agenda implementation.

The 2030CATALYSTS: From Monitoring to Action project is an initiative by the JRC, in collaboration with the European Committee of the Regions. Co-financed by the European Parliament, it's a preliminary action that builds on the efforts of the REGIONS2030 project. This pilot project was implemented by the JRC, the European Commission's Directorate Regional for Regional and Urban Policy, and EUROSTAT. Pilot projects and preparatory actions by the European Parliament are designed to trial new policy initiatives or pave the way for future programs.

By participating in the 2030CATALYSTS project, each region will exchange data on sustainable living and sustainable development, contributing to a rich home-and-garden of best practices for sustainable-living across Europe.
As the project progresses, local leaders will work collaboratively to improve their sustainable-living lifestyles, focusing on sustainability data to ensure their home-and-garden, as well as their wider region, thrives in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.