6. Progress made in implementation of SDG goals and targets

This chapter explores the progress made by Nordic municipalities in implementing the SDGs, particularly the status and use of local SDG indicators to monitor advances. Building on this, the chapter provides an example of how smart steering tools can be employed to track and measure progress. The insights discussed draw from data gathered in the Nordic surveys, supplemented by examples from the Nordic Toolbox and other written sources.

Measuring and monitoring progress towards the SDGs and their associated targets is an essential aspect of the implementation process. The Nordic Survey results indicate significant variation in whether municipalities across the different Nordic countries measure their progress towards the SDGs (Figure 18). Approximately 68% of responding municipalities in Sweden and Finland reported that they measure their progress (unsurprising given the indicators available for municipal needs), compared to 45% of municipalities in Norway and just 18% in Iceland. The notably lower percentage in Iceland suggest its municipalities may still be in the early stages of implementing the 2030 Agenda compared to their counterparts in other Nordic countries.

Meanwhile, the Danish Survey results show a significant shift among Denmark’s municipalities in terms of measuring progress. From 2018 to 2023, the share of responding municipalities stating that they do not measure progress in their SDG-related work increased from 17% in 2018 to 62% in 2023.

See Figure 8 in Danish Survey

Among those that did measure progress in 2023, 22% had created their own indicators, 7% were utilising indicators provided by Statistics Denmark (‘Our Goals’), and 6% were adopting the UN’s indicators.

– Municipality of Hornafjörður, Iceland

Note: The figure is based on 53 responses in Finland, 33 responses in Iceland, 92 responses in Norway and 204 responses in Sweden. Municipalities that answered ‘Don’t know’ or ‘We do not work with the 2030 Agenda’ were excluded from the analysis. Results from Denmark are not shown in this figure, as the LRGA in Denmark (KL) conducted a separate survey among Danish municipalities. That survey contained a similar question to the one posed here (‘Which indicators does the municipality use to measure the progress of its SDG efforts?’), the results of which are described in the main text.

While national-level indicators for monitoring progress are relatively widely used in the Nordic countries, capturing the same progress at the local and regional levels has proven to be more challenging. This primarily stems from the lack of SDG indicators specifically adapted to local and regional contexts, as the existing national-level indicators are often too broad or insufficiently sensitive to local variations and priorities.

In collaboration with SALAR, Sweden has developed the so-called KOLADA database using a set of SDG indicators that more effectively measure local-level progress towards the global goals (see Box 19). Similarly, Norway has created a taxonomy of SDG-related indicators in order to enhance data classification and analysis (see also Box 19).

In Iceland, a preliminary set of local SDG indicators has been put forward by a working group composed of municipal statistical experts and representatives from state-owned Statistics Iceland. Advancement of the initiative has, however, stalled, primarily due to unresolved financing issues.

In Finland, the Ministry of the Environment coordinated the KEKANUA II pilot project under the broader Sustainable City Programme (2019–2023). This project focused on developing a set of indicators for sustainable urban development, collaboratively developed by researchers from the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) and various municipalities during 2021–2022. The pilot project will be continued within the Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with SYKE.

In 2018, Denmark’s national statistics agency, Statistics Denmark, developed a set of national indicators to monitor the country’s progress toward implementing the 2030 Agenda. These indicators were developed as a result of “Our Goals” project using inputs from a broad representation  of Danish society, including civil society, the private sector, academia, government agencies, municipalities, and the general public. Many of the national indicators can be disaggregated at the regional and/or municipal level, with some already accessible in the database.

In addition to indicators, Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) and VSRs offer essential supplementary insights into progress towards SDG achievement and specific local or subnational targets (see Figure 19). VLRs enable firsthand information on how LRGs are implementing the SDG, serving as powerful tools for enhancing transparency, fostering accountability, and promoting sharing of best practices among municipalities and regions and (see for instance Box 18). These reviews help municipalities to assess their progress and identify gaps and remaining challenges. As for VSRs, these reports are increasingly becoming recognised for creating a more comprehensive multi-level governance approach related to the monitoring and reporting of the SDGs. They accomplish this by evaluating local initiatives, identifying challenges, and promoting collaboration across municipalities and state authorities.

In 2022–2023, the Finland–UN-Habitat Strategic Partnership facilitated an SDG localisation process involving the sister cities of Tampere, Finland and Mwanza, Tanzania. This collaboration enabled Mwanza to develop its first VLR using insights from Tampere’s VLR experience. Mwanza’s VLR process was notable for its strong emphasis on community and stakeholder engagement, aligning with the VNR process. The launch event in Mwanza celebrating this milestone featured participation from Tampere representatives.

UN-Habitat coordinated the technical work and supported the consolidation of a consortium of partner organisations. These included the Finnish Ministry of Environment, the City of Tampere, AFLRA and the SDG46 network, alongside Tanzanian stakeholders such as the City of Mwanza, President’s Office Planning Commission, National Bureau of Statistics and others. International support came from various UN bodies and global organisations such as the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG). 

Impacts:
The twinning initiative has facilitated extensive engagement between Tampere and Mwanza, fostering knowledge and best practice exchanges and so enriching both cities’ approaches to SDG localisation. The exchange has been instrumental in amplifying community voices and enhancing stakeholder participation, culminating in Mwanza’s submission of its first VLR.

Moreover, a variety of digital tools are utilised in the Nordic countries to support the collection, storage and showcasing of sustainability data within and between municipalities, thereby facilitating efforts aimed at tracking progress towards SDG achievement. Additionally, other sustainability management tools are being employed to incorporate the SDGs into municipal budgeting and governance documents, making it easier to monitor progress. Such tools may assist organisations in identifying which are the most significant sustainability challenges they face, as well as in clarifying their strategies by connecting goals, key performance indicators (KPIs) and actions across all levels, from management to operational tasks.

In Sweden, the government’s 2018–2020 Action Plan for the 2030 Agenda specified that relevant indicators should be produced to support work in the municipalities and regions. The Council for the Promotion of Local Government Analyses (RKA), a collaboration between the national government and SALAR, was commissioned to lead this work in consultation with Statistics Sweden, the 2030 Agenda Delegation, and a number of municipalities and regions. The indicators were duly presented in March 2019. The KOLADA database includes a set of 50 indicators specifically related to each of the SDGs. The indicators – later revised in 2023 – were strategically chosen to reflect municipalities’ and regions’ diverse responsibilities and areas of influence. Some indicators are specifically designed to address the needs of groups at risk of being left behind or who are particularly vulnerable, such as specific age groups or minority communities. For example, Goal 1 has a KPI showing the share of retired residents experiencing low economic standards, while Goal 2 has a KPI that measures the share of residents with obesity. The indicators for Goal 5 (gender equality) – designed to assess disparities in various key areas, such as employment, income, caregiving responsibilities and leadership opportunities – include the share of paternity leave days taken by men; ratio of women’s median net income to men’s median net income; and percentage of women holding chairperson positions in regional organisations. The indicators are derived from existing official statistics and are updated regularly.

Impacts:
The data in the KOLADA database allows municipalities and regions to assess their performance against others, enabling baseline comparisons and evaluations. In addition to tracking progress, the hope is that the platform will stimulate learning and inspire municipalities/regions to pursue the SDGs with renewed ambition and effectiveness (SALAR, 2021).

Initiated by KS and developed by Statistics Norway in 2022, the taxonomy for SDG-related indicators is designed to help both local- and national-level policymakers and administrative bodies select indicators that are most effective for measuring progress towards SDG achievement.  Not only does the taxonomy offer a practical tool, its architecture and method has also proven helpful in other sectors. The taxonomy was developed in close collaboration with local and regional authorities, which have been involved in testing out how best to connect SDG localisation and progress monitoring to the indicators already in use in municipal management.

The taxonomy’s systematic framework organises indicators across three key dimensions: 1) Goal; 2) Perspective; and 3) Quality. The ‘Goal’ dimension specifies what each indicator measures – namely, which SDGs and targets it aligns with. The ‘Perspective’ dimension explains the context or rationale behind the indicator’s use, enhancing its applicability and relevance to the user’s needs. Finally, the ‘Quality’ dimension evaluates the indicator’s usefulness – i.e. whether it is fit-for-purpose. Applying the same taxonomy to all the indicators helps in clarifying and comparing their uses and usability, making it easier to reuse indicators that have already been classified and evaluated by others. KS is continuing the work by utilising the taxonomy to present a shortlist of relevant indicators for use in local and regional administrations.

Impacts:
The taxonomy of SDG-related indicators simplifies the monitoring and evaluation process for decision-makers by clarifying each indicator’s practical application and usability (Government, 2021).

Klimatkollen (Climate Check), a non-profit organisation launched in 2022, aims to make climate data easily accessible to municipalities. Its platform evaluates municipalities based on several criteria, including their CO₂ emissions, the existence of climate plans, and adherence to climate budgets. In 2024, through a partnership with Greenpeace, Klimatkollen created an interactive online map highlighting which Swedish municipalities enforce climate requirements in public procurement. This effort serves as a benchmarking tool that can help municipalities measure their progress and pinpoint areas for improvement.

Data for this initiative was gathered through a comprehensive survey conducted by Greenpeace across Swedish municipalities. The survey also investigated how municipalities are working to minimise their climate impact within public kitchens. Given Sweden’s substantial consumption of publicly provided food, particularly evident in school lunch programmes, the findings underscore the pivotal role played by local canteens in driving positive change. By adopting sustainable food practices, municipalities can significantly reduce their carbon footprint, providing individuals and families throughout the country with a model for sustainable living.

Impacts:
Information and interactive maps are readily accessible on Greenpeace Sweden’s website, empowering municipalities to utilise them in their sustainability endeavours. Local governments have also been encouraged to enlist volunteers to assist in implementing sustainable procurement practices for food and meals, thereby fostering a culture of community engagement and environmental stewardship.