New Publication: Exploring the potential of co-governance models to accelerate SDGs at the local level
With the 2030 deadline approaching and persistent gaps in trust and social legitimacy hindering sustainability transitions, a recent JRC (European Commission) report by Christian F. Iaione and Cecilia Bertozzi examines how commons-based co-governance and joint management of common goods can facilitate and accelerate the localization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within urban environments.
The report identifies three principal findings: co-governance extends beyond the conventional top-down versus bottom-up dichotomy; it offers evidence-based recommendations that support SDG localization across EU territories, noting that most SDG targets require local action, and contributes to the development of a shared, consensual framework through imposed directives aimed solely at achieving uniformity.
The report grounds its analysis in five case studies ranging from Reggio Emilia to Amsterdam, which demonstrate the use of legal and financial instruments, the role of institutional facilitators such as city science offices, and the common challenges faced across regions, including bureaucratic silos, long-term funding constraints, and the need for inclusive co-design.
A key takeaway is well documented: co-governance can serve as a significant accelerator of sustainability transformations in urban contexts. However, further scaling is required to understand better the contexts in which these models are effective and to assess the long-term sustainability of the supporting institutional capacities.
Read full report:
https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/1245774