Sustainable Development Solutions Network Research Articles

Challenges of Incorporating Sustainable Development Goals Into South African Higher Education Curricula

This paper highlights several challenges that the adoption and implementation of the seventeen United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) pose for South African Higher Education institutions’ (HEIs) curricula design. It also reflects on the experiences of some institutions who have embraced SDGs in their teaching and learning, research, management (governance and operations), and public engagement strategies (Sustainable Development Solutions Network, 2017). SD4 seeks to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”. This paper is intended to contribute to policy debates on issues that are seemingly being given little attention in curriculum design, in the advance towards the target 2030 date for achieving SDGs. The research is motivated by the absence of guidelines and frameworks from South African education governing bodies regarding SDGs, leading to knowledge and capacity gaps that frustrate academics who are increasingly being required to include SDGs in their courses. The author uses a qualitative methodology (document review) and focuses on literature published between 2019 and 2023 on the implementation of SDGs into South African curricula. This study recommends that private HEIs be included in the development of SDG governing frameworks and policies. It also recommends that HEIs develop a South African ranking system to track progress towards SDG attainment.

Assessing the sustainability of the European Green Deal and its interlin kages with the SDGs

The European Green Deal (EGD) is the growth strategy for Europe, covering multiple domains, and aiming to an equitable, climate neutral European Union by 2050. The UN Agenda 2030, encompassing 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), establishes the foundation for a global sustainability transition. The integration of the SDGs into the EGD is an overlooked issue in the literature, despite Europe’s slow progress to achieve the sustainability targets. We employed a machine-learning text-mining method to evaluate the extent of SDG integration within the 74 EGD policy documents published during 2019–2023. The findings reveal a substantial alignment of EGD policies with SDGs related to clean energy (SDG7), climate action (SDG13), and sustainable consumption and production (SDG12). In contrast, there is a significant underrepresentation in areas related to social issues such as inequalities, poverty, hunger, health, education, gender equality, decent work, and peace, as indicated by lower alignment with SDGs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, and 16. Temporal trends suggest a marginal increase in the attention given to environmental health (especially water and marine life) and gender equality. Furthermore, we illustrate the alignment of EGD policies with the six essential sustainability transformations proposed by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) in 2019 for the operationalization of the SDGs. The results indicate that besides the prevalence of “Energy Decarbonization and Sustainable Industry”, all areas have received attention, except for the “Health, Wellbeing and Demography”. The findings call for a more integrated approach to address the complete spectrum of sustainability in a balanced manner.

Learning Organization as A Way to Create Change Agents in Bojonegoro Regency

Purpose: This research explores the development of change agents within the public sector of Bojonegoro Regency, a region that has undergone significant transformation from one of the poorest regencies in Jawa Timur Province to being recognized for its Sustainable Development Initiative by The United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network in 2013. The study aims to understand the process of cultivating change agents in the district government of Bojonegoro. Theoretical Reference: The research adopts a qualitative methodology with a phenomenological paradigm to capture the universal essences of the individual experiences of change agent phenomena. The focus is on identifying key themes such as willingness to learn, distribution of authority/duties/roles, willingness to improve, and attention to the younger generation. A foundational aspect is emphasized— the role of a learning organization cultivated through a holistic leadership approach. Method: The research utilizes NVivo coding to analyze qualitative data, uncovering themes related to the development of change agents. The qualitative methodology and phenomenological paradigm are chosen to provide a deeper understanding of the unique experiences and essential elements in fostering change agents within public sector organizations. Results and Conclusion: Contrary to expectations, the findings reveal that change agents are not developed directly; instead, a prerequisite is the establishment of a fertile ground through holistic leadership. The emphasis on themes such as willingness to learn, distribution of authority, commitment to improvement, and attention to the younger generation underscores the importance of a conducive environment for change agent development. Implications of Research: The research suggests that the success of developing change agents in public sector organizations is intricately linked to the establishment of a learning organization nurtured by a holistic leadership approach. The findings highlight the need for tailoring strategies to the unique context and environmental factors of each district, recognizing that the success of Bojonegoro may not be directly replicable elsewhere. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the understanding of change agent development in public sector organizations, emphasizing the significance of a learning organization and holistic leadership. The uniqueness of Bojonegoro's case underscores the importance of considering environmental specialties and district-specific factors in crafting strategies for change agent cultivation across diverse regions in Indonesia.

Monitoring G20 Countries’ SDG Implementation Policies and Budgets Reported in Their Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs)

Monitoring Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has mainly focused on levels of achievement of targets and indicators, but few studies have examined policies and implementation efforts systematically. The Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) has called for more monitoring of policy efforts, which is necessary to understand why overall progress on SDGs has been insufficient. Responding to this call, this paper analyzes how the G20 countries’ SDG implementation policies and budgets were reported in their Voluntary National Reviews and creates a dataset of these SDG policies and budgets. The results showed that the G20 countries cumulatively listed a large number of policies—over 4100—in their VNRs. These policies were widely distributed among SDGs. The combined total of listed budgets was over USD 2.7 trillion. Most of the policies were substantive, broad-scoped action plans, national strategies, frameworks, programs, or laws/regulations, not just small projects or awareness-raising campaigns. Overall, VNRs listed more policies after 2018 than before. Also, VNRs tended to include relatively more policies relating to SDGs highlighted at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) in the year the VNR was prepared. The results also showed that smaller or developing countries generally did not indicate fewer policies than larger or developed countries. Despite the large number of reported policies, some areas of under-reporting were identified, especially regarding environmental SDGs and targets. Budgetary information was fragmented, and clearly did not match the scale of the reported policies, so actual SDG budget expenditures are probably much higher than reported in the VNRs. In conclusion, insufficient progress on the SDGs cannot be attributed to a simple lack of policies. Therefore, further research is needed to examine the policies’ actual contents, their appropriateness, level of ambition, level of funding, extent of implementation, and effectiveness. The database of policies created by this study is a necessary first step. The policy database can also be used to identify the G20 countries’ relevant policies for specific SDGs or issue areas which span several SDGs for monitoring implementation of specific issue areas.

Is the happiness of Chinese truly the highest in the world? The impact of basic public services on happiness.

Based on the survey report by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and Ipsos Group, the world ranking of Chinese people's happiness shows a significant gap. This study attempts to analyze the subjective well-being of Chinese residents through public database from the China Household Finance Survey Center in 2017. An ordered Probit model is constructed to investigate the impact of non-monetary factors, specifically basic public services, on the subjective well-being of Chinese people. The results indicate that: (1) The subjective well-being of Chinese residents is found to be lower than what the survey report indicated. (2) Basic public services have a significant positive impact on residents' happiness. (3) Social trust played a moderating role, positively influencing the relationship between basic public services and residents' happiness. (4) The impact of basic public services on happiness varied significantly depending on factors such as age, registered residence, and places of residence. To enhance the happiness of Chinese residents, it is recommended to focus on improving the equalization of basic public services and establishing a robust basic public service system. These measures can effectively contribute to the overall well-being and happiness of the population.

Are smart cities more sustainable? An exploratory study of 103 U.S. cities

Cities play a vital role in tackling sustainability challenges. Smart cities have emerged as solutions to urban sustainability. However, whether smart city practices lead to environmental, economic, and social sustainability outcomes is still not clear. This is due to a lack of thorough knowledge of how local governments have deployed the smart city notion, as well as a lack of holistic evaluation of sustainability outcomes achieved by smart cities. To fill in this gap, this research evaluates whether local implementation of smart cities is associated with sustainability outcomes at the city level. We studied 103 US cities by integrating a sustainability assessment conducted by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network and text mining of city official websites. Our analysis shows that more than 80% of the 103 cities have smart city statements on their websites. In addition, smart cities generally score higher on sustainability outcomes than non-smart cities. Furthermore, when controlling for population size and geographic region, smart city mentions are positively associated with economic sustainability outcomes. However, the relationship between smart city mentions and environmental and social sustainability is not statistically significant. This study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence on the prevalence of local governments’ deployment of smart cities, which is scarce at present, and gives novel insight into the relationship between the use of technologies and urban sustainability.

Balancing the sustainability in the 2030 agenda: the OECD countries

ABSTRACT When assessing the achievement of the 2030 Agenda, the equilibrium among the dimensions of the sustainable development should be taken into account, recognizing the balanced and integrated nature of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To this end, we propose the use of a Balance Index to complement the performance indexes of the SDGs and the integration of sustainable development dimensions and experts’ opinions in the normalization process. The data source is the 2020 SDG Index Report proposed by the Bertelsmann Stiftung and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Provide and analyse the performance and the balance indexes for OECD countries. Finally, we propose a visual matrix of the two indexes with four progress scenarios to orientate the decision-making. This proposal allows a more accurate quantification of the situation of each country and is, therefore, a useful tool for evaluating the integrated nature of the sustainability (SDG 17).

The role of public procurement in the framework of the 2030 Agenda: the approach of institutions and civil society

Public administration is a key agent for achieving development goals, and this is recognised in the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals. This international consensus requires the involvement of a large number of agents, and the mainstreaming of these global challenges into public policies. However, a practice that could be key in this regard, such as public procurement, does not receive sufficient attention within this framework. Faced with a broad range of goals and targets that cover environmental, economic and social issues, the 2030 Agenda lacks an adequate framework and tools to address the solution to these challenges, and public procurement could have greater prominence as a driver of progress for a number of these goals. The paper studies the role and potential of public procurement as an instrument of policy to contribute to the international development agenda. Therefore, the paper analyses documentation and reports of the main institutions that have worked on these issues to date: United Nations, the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and the Reflection Group on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Despite having been considered in the design of the Agenda, subsequent reports by the United Nations give little importance to the role of public procurement, which contrasts with that expressed by civil society.

Public–Private Partnerships in the distance learning program during COVID-19 pandemic times in the Philippines: Identification of practices and principles

Several challenges fill the distance learning program in the Philippines and the Public-Private Partnerships implementation process. The educational system in the Philippines, like any other developing country, is severely affected during these pandemic times. Although the public schools already employed the programs and resource mobilization, partnership effectiveness is not yet fully determined. As such, our qualitative study applied the concept lenses of SDG#17 and SDG#4 to describe the degree of integration of practices and principles during the implementation of PPPs in the distance learning program. Semi-structured interviews and content analysis were conducted among public school principals in Mandaluyong City in NCR, Philippines. The prevailing PPP practices and principles are Upfront commitment to maintenance, and predictability and transparency of whole-oflife costs, creation of specific obligations of both parties, the establishment of educational objectives in the MOA, evaluation of the work progress & completion based on the targets, and lastly, sharing results of the outcome of these educational endeavors. The commitment of the teachers is the main enabling factor, while the poor internet connectivity and effect and restrictions brought about by the COVID19 pandemic are the hindering factors in the distance learning program. This paper can serve as a source of reference in establishing a long-term sustainable plan for implementing partnership efforts in quality education across the regions in the Philippines. We could also utilize the results of this study in the process of policy innovation to implement all the PPPs and maximize the impact elsewhere in achieving all the SDGs.ReferencesAlmarri, K. & Abuhijleh, B. (2017) A qualitative study for developing a framework for implementing public-private partnerships in developing countries. Journal of Facilities Management. 15(2), 170–189. doi: 10.1108/jfm-07-2016-0031Axinn, W.G., & Pearce, L.D. (2006). Mixed method data collection strategies. New York, NY, USA: Cambridge University Press.Burmeister, E. & Aitken, L. (2012). Sample size: How many is enough? Australia Critical Care, 25(4), 271–274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aucc.2012.07.002Balanay R.M., & Halog A. (2016). Teaching education for sustainable development at university level: A case study from the Philippines. Teaching Education for Sustainable Development at University Level. World Sustainability Series. 1, 163-174. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32928-4_11Dela Serna, A. (2018). Teaching sustainable development in the Philippines: Looking through the lens of education for sustainable development (esd). ASEAN Conference on Education. p. 841 – 851. Retrieved from http://www.pbic.tu.ac.th/wpcontent/uploads/2019/10/2018-Ace-proceedings.pdfHueskes, M., Verhoest, K., and Block, T., (2017). Governing public–private partnerships for sustainability: an analysis of procurement and governance practices of PPP infrastructure projects. International Journal of Project management, 35, 1184–1195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2017.02.020Huxham, C. & Vangen, S. (2005). Managing to collaborate: The theory and practice of collaborative advantage. London: Routledge.Kwofie, K.N., Afram, S. & Botchway, E. (2015). A critical success model for PPP public housing delivery in Ghana. Built Environment Project and Asset Management, 6(1), 58-73. doi: 10.1108/bepam-04-2014-0026Obwegeser, N., & Muller, S. D. (2018). Innovation and public procurement: Terminology, concepts, and applications. Technovation, 2(1) 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.technovation.2018.02.015Shi, L., Han, L., Yang, F., & Gao, L. (2019). The evolution of sustainable development theory: Types, goals, and research prospects. Sustainability, 11(24), 7158. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.3390/su11247158Shokri-Ghasabeh, M. & Chileshe, N. (2014). Knowledge management: Barriers to capturing lessons learned from Australian construction contractors’ perspective. Construction Innovation, 14(1), 108-134. DOI: 10.1108/CI-06-2013-0026Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). (2015). Indicators and a monitoring framework for the sustainable development goals. Launching a data revolution. UN, New York. Retrieved from https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/be6d1d56/files/uploaded/150612-FINAL-SDSN-Indicator-Report1.pdfSustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Australia/Pacific. (2017). Getting started with SDGs in universities: A guide for universities, higher education institutions, and the Academic Sector. (Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Edition). Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Australia/Pacific, Melbourne. Retrieved http://ap-unsdsn.org/wp-content/uploads/University-SDG-Guide_web.pdfTrangkanont, S. and Charoenngam, C. (2014). Private partner's risk response in PPP low-cost housing projects. Property Management, 32(1): 67–94. https://doi.org/10.1108/PM-02-2013-0008.United Nations (UN). (2015). Transforming our world: the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. UN, New York. Retrieved from https://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/70/1&Lang=EWorld Bank (2015). World Bank group support to public-private partnerships: Lessons from experience in client countries. fy02–1202–12; World Bank: Washington, DC, USA,121–139. Retrieved from https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/22908/9781464806308.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=yWorld Bank (2017). Public private partnerships reference guide version 3.0. https://library.pppknowledgelab.org/documents/ 4699/download

Building a unified sustainable development goal database: Why does sustainable development goal data selection matter?

AbstractThe 2020s are an essential decade for achieving the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For this, SDG research needs to provide evidence that can be translated into concrete actions. However, studies use different SDG data, resulting in incomparable findings. Researchers primarily use SDG databases provided by the United Nations (UN), the World Bank Group (WBG), and the Bertelsmann Stiftung & Sustainable Development Solutions Network (BE‐SDSN). We compile these databases into one unified SDG database and examine the effects of the data selection on our understanding of SDG interactions. Among the databases, we observed more different than similar SDG interactions. Differences in synergies and trade‐offs mainly occur for SDGs that are environmentally oriented. Due to the increased data availability, the unified SDG database offers a more nuanced and reliable view of SDG interactions. Thus, the SDG data selection may lead to diverse findings, fostering actions that might neglect or exacerbate trade‐offs.

SDG interlinkage networks: Analysis, robustness, sensitivities, and hierarchies

• SDG interlinkages arise from policy actions and their consequences and can be represented by interaction networks. • This paper develops mathematical techniques to analyse system-level consequences of these interaction networks. • Key results include estimating node centrality and the sensitivity of system-level results to changes in the strength of individual interlinkages in the network. • The paper compares and contrasts three interlinkage networks between the SDGs derived from literature surveys and expert opinion: SDGs 1–3 are usually most reinforced, while SDGs 12–15 are most at risk. • In conclusion, these results may help to guide policy design for interventions that can strengthen outcomes across Agenda 2030. A growing literature considers the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a interlinked network, connected by co-benefits and trade-offs between pairs of SDGs. Such network descriptions naturally prompt important questions concerning the emergence and identification of system-level features. This paper develops mathematical techniques to address, quantitatively, the extent to which these interlinkage networks point to the likelihood of greater progress on some SDGs than on others, the sensitivity of the networks to the addition of new links (or the strengthening or weakening of existing ones), and the existence of implicit hierarchies within Agenda 2030. The methods we discuss are applicable to any directed network but we interpret them here in the context of three interlinkage matrices produced from expert analysis and literature reviews. We use these as three specific examples to discuss the quantitative results that reveal similarities and differences between these networks, as well as to comment on the mathematical techniques themselves. In broad terms, our findings confirm those from other sources, such as the Sustainable Development Solutions Network: for example, that globally SDGs 12–15 are most at risk. Perhaps of greater value is that analysis of the interlinkage networks is able to illuminate the underlying structural issues that lead to these systemic conclusions, such as the extent to which, at the whole-system level, the structure of SDG interlinkages favours some SDGs over others. The sensitivity analyses also suggest ways to quantify possible improvements to an SDG interlinkage network, since the sensitivity analyses are able to identify the modifications of the network that would best improve outcomes across the whole of Agenda 2030. This therefore indicates possibilities for informing policy-making, since the interlinkage networks themselves are implicitly descriptions of the overlaps, co-benefits and trade-offs that are anticipated to be likely to arise from a set of existing or proposed future policy actions.

Fertile Ground: Implementing the 2030 Agenda in U.S. Cities

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development promotes sustainable global prosperity by encouraging the coordination of social, economic, and environmental policies and good governance reforms. Cities are expected to play an essential role in implementing the 2030 Agenda. Local programs are to be implemented by multi-actor governance systems (including government agencies, businesses, nonprofits, and philanthropic organizations) that operate across multiple policy domains and provide extensive opportunities for stakeholder participation. Local program finance may require a combination of public, private, and philanthropic resources. We analyze the prospects for local implementation of the 2030 Agenda in large U.S. cities by examining local capacity to plan and carry out cross-sectoral collaborative initiatives. We review sustainability planning in the cities that participated in the Sustainable Development Solutions Network planning demonstration. We analyze an inventory of urban revitalization initiatives to assess local capacity to carry out collaborations. We show that local capacity is associated with having an active local environmental agenda and making progress toward achieving sustainable development goals. However, local capacity appears to be concentrated in larger cities. Although the demands on local governance are daunting, our examination of local capacity to plan and execute cross-sectoral collaborative initiatives in large U.S. cities creates guarded optimism.

Assessment of Performance Related to Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14) for Countries Around the Korean Peninsula

Yoon, I.J., 2021. Assessment of performance related to Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14) for countries around the Korean peninsula. In: Lee, J.L.; Suh, K.-S.; Lee, B.; Shin, S., and Lee, J. (eds.), Crisis and Integrated Management for Coastal and Marine Safety. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 114, pp. 335–339. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. This study reviews the Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14) performances of coastal nations around the Korean Peninsula. Based on the four indicators provided by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), this study analyzes the current status and trends of SDG 14 performances of the Republic of Korea (ROK), Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), China, Japan, and Russia. The analysis is conducted using dimensional and developmental approaches. The Yellow Sea, surrounded by ROK, DPRK, and China, is facing challenges with regard to water pollution, while the East Sea surrounded by ROK, DPRK, Japan, and Russia is facing overexploitation of fish and water pollution. Development-wise, countries in this group that belong to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), namely ROK and Japan, tend to have higher values for positive indicators and lower values for negative indicators. DPRK shows no achievement with respect to any indicator, while the others have progressed with respect to at least one indicator, which indicates the necessity for more regional cooperation. The significance of this study is that assessment of SDG 14 performances of coastal nations around the Korean peninsula was carried out for the first time at both the individual and regional levels, and the related characteristics of each nation and necessity of collective efforts were drawn out.

Which formula for corporate risk-taking around the world? Exploring happiness as the “black box”

PurposeThis paper examines how the degree of happiness affects corporate risk-taking and the moderating influence of family ownership of firms on this relationship.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use an international sample of 17,654 firm-year observations from 24 countries around the world from 2008 to 2016.FindingsUsing the happiness index from the World Happiness Report developed by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, the authors show that a country's overall happiness is negatively correlated with risk-taking behavior by firms. The findings are robust to an alternative measure of risk-taking by firms. Further analyses document that the negative influence of happiness on firm risk-taking is more pronounced for family-owned firms.Practical implicationsThe paper is consistent with the notion that happier people are likely to be more risk-averse in making financial decisions, which, in turn, reduces corporate risk-taking.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the broad literature on the determinants of corporate risk-taking and the growing literature on the role of sentiment on investment decisions. The authors contribute to the current debate about family-owned firms by demonstrating that the presence of family trust strengthens the negative influence of happiness on corporate risk-taking, a topic that has been unexplored in previous studies.

Well-Being as Human Development, Equality, Happiness and the Role of Freedom, Activism, Decentralization, Volunteerism and Voter Participation: A Global Country-Level Study.

We propose and test a new model for predicting multiple quantitative measures of well-being globally at the country level based on the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI), income inequality (Net Gini), and National Happiness Index (NHI; U.N. Sustainable Development Solutions Network world survey of life satisfaction). HDI consists of per-capita Gross National Income (economic well-being), average life expectancy (proxy for health well-being), and educational attainment (capabilities well-being). Using data on 105 countries representing 95% of the world’s population, a history of grassroots activism (Global Non-violent Action Database), civil liberties and political rights (Freedom Score), political and fiscal decentralization, and voter participation (Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance) correlate with HDI and NHI. Citizen volunteering (Gallup Civic Engagement Index) predicts only NHI. In multivariate analyses, Freedom Score is the most robust predictor of all well-being measures, including income equality. Fiscal decentralization and voter turnout also predict HDI and NHI, controlling for other influences. Based on prior analyses in the Global Development of Applied Community Studies project, implications and recommendations are discussed for developing community human research and professional resources across 12 disciplines in countries where they are needed based on social justice, citizenship, well-being, inequality, human rights, and other development challenges. We recommend individual and community-level and qualitative analyses of the above predictors’ relationships with these same conceptualizations of well-being, as well as consideration of other social, cultural and political variables and their effect on well-being.

Mapping the Statistical Significance of Factors Contributing to the World Happiness Report

This paper aims to delineate findings of the statistical significance of the factors contributing to the happiness score. The happiness score also termed as ladder score, is a metric used by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network to metricize the happiness of the citizens in a country. To tackle this issue, we use regression and data visualization. We perform a survey on the factors affecting ladder score and how these factors can be used for predictive analytics. We use Linear Regression, Polynomial Regression, Lasso Regression with cross-validation, and Ridge Regression with cross-validation. Next, we use evaluation metrics like MSE, RMSE, Adjusted r-squared, and r-squared value for the evaluation of the factors on the predictive model. Then, we plot the countries mentioned in the report on a geographical scale based on their happiness index scores. Furthermore, we plot the statistical significance of these factors on a continental scale, to reveal insightful patterns over a larger geographical domain. We aim to bring to light the trends of the aforementioned factors and produce the significance of these results on a world map. The results will help elucidate the global patterns formed by these metrics. An additional application is an extrapolation of the results procured. To augment the metrics of the Word Happiness Report in a statistically comprehensive way. Furthermore, through this evaluation, the world happiness report can be revised to accommodate more inclusive factors and mitigate the redundancy of the factors.

Assessment of the Results and Methodology of the Sustainable Development Index for Spanish Cities

In 2017, the United Nations adopted a global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicator framework, calling on member countries to collect complementary national and regional indicators. Cities are crucial to channelling efforts towards sustainability through the use of these indicators. They provide an integrated approach to the city situation monitoring sustainability. However, more research is needed to understand how to adapt the goals, targets and indicators to specific municipal contexts. In 2020, the Spanish Sustainable Development Solutions Network launched the 2nd edition of the Spanish Cities Index. A set of 106 indicators allows for monitoring the implementation of the SDGs at the local level for Spanish cities. The objective is to perform a statistical audit to evaluate the consistency of the indicators and the impact of modelling assumptions on the result. The methodology used is an adaptation of the Handbook on Constructing Composite Indicator prepared by the European Commission. The indicator system is well balanced and covers the essential areas of the Sustainable Development Goals. The Spanish ranking is robust enough among the alternatives evaluated. However, some improvements are possible in the selection of indicators, e.g., removing redundant indicators and regional data. Finally, it is recommended to weigh goals based on municipal responsibility to adjust the results to the Spanish municipal context.

Assessment of the Governance Dimension in the Frame of the 2030 Agenda: Evidence from 100 Spanish Cities

The 2030 Agenda highlights the importance of governance to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). However, we observe that there is an underestimation of the governance dimension in the SDG indices. The reasons are twofold. Firstly, indices assign a lower weight to governance compared to the other dimensions of sustainability. Secondly, most governance indicators do not measure the relational dynamics that underlie sustainable development policies. The aim of this study is thus to provide alternative methods for a more accurate assessment of the governance dimension in the frame of the 2030 Agenda. With this purpose, we examine the performance of 100 Spanish cities on the SDGs included in the first report elaborated by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network Spain in 2018. Using this data, we first develop a methodology to rebalance the current underestimation of the governance dimension, comparing its impact on the SDG performance of these cities. Secondly, we build a new indicator of ‘Strategic Culture’ to get a more accurate measure of governance in urban contexts. As a result, the study validates the proposed methods and provides evidence that better performance on sustainable development is favored by the implementation of strategic planning processes.

Community Extension and Citizenship Education of San Beda University towards SDG’s

The critical roles of the Higher Education Institutions (HEI) towards the achievement of sustainable development signifies the need to implement Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Opportunities in applying ESD can be accomplished in different dimensions of the school to pursue the worldwide acceptance of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This formed a question for San Beda University (SBU) to describe its practices and programs towards the achievement of ESD. In this study, the community extension and citizenship education of San Beda University were specifically examined in its Community Engagement Center (CEC) and National Service Training Program (NSTP). The study employed a framework on the Priority Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of SBU and selected key features and strategies of ESD. After a critical assessment of the procedures, teaching methods, documents, and interviews, the results of the study identified the practices and programs including specific teaching activities. The results illustrate the level by which SBU utilizes SDGs towards sustainability. The conclusion provided recommendations to encourage increasing the commitment of SBU in integrating SDGs in instruction, research, and extension. The study is significant in providing a preliminary assessment of the level of SBU engagement towards SDGs. It demonstrated the actions of how a university implements sustainable development. The study intends to contribute to the continuous implementation of ESD and improve the SDG performance of SBU as institutional change agent.ReferencesAlbareda-Tiana, S., Vidal-Raméntol, S., and Fernández-Morilla, M. (2018). Implementing the sustainable development goals at university level. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. 19(3), 473-497. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-05-2017-0069Balanay, R.M. & Halog, A. (2016). Teaching education for sustainable development at university level: A case study from the Philippines. Teaching Education for Sustainable Development at University Level. World Sustainability Series. 1, 163-174, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32928-4_11Community Engagement Center (CEC) – SBU. (2016). Institute of Community Involvement Center Manual of Operations. Unpublished manuscript. San Beda University, Manila.Dela Serna, A. (2018). Teaching sustainable development in the Philippines: Looking through the lens of education for sustainable development (esd). ASEAN Conference on Education. p. 841 – 851. http://www.pbic.tu.ac.th/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2018-Aceproceedings.pdfKates, R., Parris, T., and Leiserowitz, A. (2005). What Is Sustainable Development? 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Sport and Sustainable Development Goals in Spain

Sport is a valuable tool for sustainable development. This is recognized in the Kazan Action Plan, in the 2030 Agenda, itself, and in the Action Plan for its implementation in Spain. In order to broaden the scope of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it is necessary to carefully consider both the possible synergies and existing inconsistencies that can enhance and weaken the contribution of sport to sustainable development. Taking as reference the international recommendations in this regard, it will be necessary to take into account the concept of “policy coherence” in both its vertical and horizontal dimensions. Advancing in the achievement of the SDGs largely requires involving subnational governments and the rest of the stakeholders, promoting decision-making based on concrete and reliable common indicators. Starting from the methodology developed globally by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) for locating the SDGs, a comparative analysis of the sports situation of each Spanish Autonomous Community will be carried out as a diagnosis. This is to show the existing inequalities between territories in relation to the selected indicators and, at the same time, identify some of the main limitations and gaps that we currently find in Spain to perform this location in a more effective way.