Localised strategies and principles of good governance for the Sustainable Development Goals: where do the local authorities in Turkey stand

Abstract

The Sustainable Development Goals have been set by the representatives of all nations on the Earth, for people, planet, prosperity and peace. It is accepted that cross-sectoral nature of the SDGs requires collective responsibility, multi-level collaboration among all stakeholders, with the participation of people, for whom these goals exist. This article has revealed that, among the 30 metropolitan municipalities in Turkey, where localisation of the SDGs and multi stakeholder local governance is rare, just a few of them have aligned their targets partially with those of the SDGs. Local authorities in Turkey do great jobs regarding many aspects of the 2030 Agenda; however, their works need a torch, in the form of a localised strategy of the SDGs, better governance and a sustainable, institutional mechanism for monitoring the progress. The motto of 'leave no one behind!' cannot be realised without full engagement of local authorities in this challenging process.