The collaborative project "From goals to meaning to action - Co-production and implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in regional and local planning" aims to develop a framework for implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals in local and regional planning. 

To achieve the goal of a just and sustainable world by 2030, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals must be translated into different local and regional contexts. The framework developed in the project will make the job easier. Associated methods and tools will be adaptable to different contexts and plan types.

“Sustainability goals must be translated into local and regional conditions” - Aase Kristine Lundberg, Project Manager

The fact that planning should contribute to sustainable development is already written into the Planning and Building Act. Nevertheless, the UN Sustainable Development Goals represent a completely new way of concretizing the content of the concept through goals, targets and indicators.

The project will develop methodologies that support local and regional implementation of the SDGs, using scenarios and systems models. Once the methods are in place, they will be tested in concrete planning processes and the experiences will be used to develop policy recommendations. 

The new knowledge will be integrated into relevant study programs at four planning programs. The project will also assess previous and ongoing work on sustainable development in the regions of Nordland and Vestland, and participate in the public debate on how Norway can contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Samarbeidsprosjektet er ledet av Nordlandsforskning, og til sammen deltar 23 partnere fra akademia, offentlig forvaltning og sivilsamfunnet. Norges forskningsråd finansierer prosjektet gjennom DEMOS-programmet og prosjektperioden er 2020-2023.

The project has the following sub-goals:

1. Assess previous and ongoing work on sustainable development in two Norwegian regions (Nordland and Vestland)

2. Develop methodology for localizing the UN Sustainable Development Goals using scenarios and systems models

3. Test these methods in concrete planning processes and provide policy recommendations based on them

4. Integrate UN17 into relevant study programs at four planned education programs

5. Strengthen work with UN17 in local and regional planning through co-creation and social learning processes

6. Participate in the public debate on how Norway can contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals

Objective: develop a framework for implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals in local and regional planning

Funding: Research Council of Norway, DEMOS program

Project period: 2020-2023

Budget: 11 million

Consortium: 23 partners from academia, public administration and civil society