Local public services and sustainable development goals: From a national perspective to a European joint action

Abstract

Local public services are a benchmark in the development of a sustainable society and attainment of the goals set by Agenda 2030. Therefore, it is necessary to gather information and hear directly from the citizens, who constantly deal with this realm, how their country performs in the provision of qualitative and sustainable services. In Italy, for instance, there is a low level of consideration and contentment in terms of the quality, management, and efficiency of public services. In particular, the local public transport sector stands out as the lowest rated by citizens. This manuscript has two main functions. First, it provides the results of a civic consultation conducted during 2020 in Italy by the Italian consumer organization Cittadinanzattiva APS, which informs about the perceptions and outlooks of citizens towards the reality of local public services that are a constant in their daily life. Second, it introduces a new political initiative promoted at European level in the field of sustainability and consumer protection: The Inter-Institutional Group “Sustainable Development Goals for well-being and consumers’ protection”, officially launched last February 16th, 2021. An initiative that represents the desire of the civil society to contribute to the SDGs, the “New Consumer Agenda” , and the “Green New Deal” and that aims at discussing and raising awareness on how each one of us as EU citizen can give their contribution, convinced that citizen and consumer’s empowerment should be the pillar of the transition towards a more inclusive and sustainable Europe.