CONNECT: it's all about sharing local expertise

Global Urban Agenda: European institutions announce their full support to local governments

On the menu of the last thematic groups’ meeting

PLATFORMA thematic groups met on 13-14 June in Brussels. The aim of these meetings is to involve members in the policy work, build stronger advocacy and facilitate understanding of EU policies. Three timely issues were addressed by PLATFORMA members and EU institutions representatives during the thematic group “EU Policies and Programmes”.

Regional and local governments hold key to achieve sustainable human development

The vital role that Europe’s local and regional governments can play in tackling global issues of human development in the 21st century such as poverty and inequality, climate change and sustainable cities, in the framework of the newly adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, was addressed at a major seminar in Brussels, on the eve of the European Development Days.

Dutch initiatives to implement the Sustainable Development Goals

The Policy forum on Development, in which PLATFORMA represents the European local and regional government constituency, has launched a series of country studies around the “enabling environment” for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The first one, published in June, is on the Netherlands. This research explores which national multi-stakeholder approaches can support inclusive implementation of the goals.

How to advance effective development: going local

"Local governments can be a very important catalyser to address the challenges that we have identified in the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and other international agreements", said UCLG Deputy Secretary General Emilia Sáiz at a workshop of the Global Partnership on Effective Development Cooperation (GPEDC) in Barcelona.

Survey on obstacles and success factors for cross-border cooperation in Europe

The Association of European Border Regions (AEBR) encourages PLATFORMA members to participate in an online survey on cross-border cooperation (CBC) initiatives between neighboring subnational governments.

R20 and the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation will develop 10 environmental projects in ORU regions

ORU Fogar will sign a collaboration agreement with R20 (Regions of Climate) that will make funds of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation (LDF) available to 10 ORU Fogar member regions. The agreement is part of the project that R20 and LDF launched last April after the Paris Agreement with the purpose of identifying and financing projects that tackle the issue of climate change.

Register to Trust Women Scholarship

The Trust Women Scholarship Programme is open to all applicants working in the areas of human trafficking, slavery in the supply chain, education and women’s rights. Priority will be given to applicants from developing countries who demonstrate their participation at Trust Women will enhance their work in their own communities.

VVSG is looking for other forms of international cooperation

In Flanders many city-to-city links exist between Flemish municipalities and local governments all over the world. The Association of Flemish Municipalities and Towns (VVSG) is now looking for inspirational examples of other forms of international cooperation in which municipalities are involved.

Upcoming

4-5 July (Paris, France) : Cités Unies France – 7th forum of international action of local authorities 2016 (PLATFORMA is organising a session on eastern neighbourhood)

12-13 July (London, UK): CLGF – Commonwealth Sustainable Cities Network meeting

22 September (Görlitz, Germany): AEBR – General Assembly and Annual Conference 2016

26-28 September (Nantes, France): Climate chance summit

12-15 October (Bogotá, Columbia): UCLG – World Summit of Local and Regional leaders 2016

17-20 October (Quito, Ecuador): Habitat III conférence