Voluntary Local Reviews of Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals

The document serves as a guide for Canadian municipalities to localize the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the creation of Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs). It outlines a 'basic recipe' for successful VLRs, including the identification of local priorities, the establishment of partnerships, participatory processes, and the use of diverse data indicators. A central theme is the necessity of integrating transformative reconciliation and Indigenous leadership into the VLR process to ensure inclusivity and respect for Indigenous data sovereignty. The handbook synthesizes global and regional resources and provides case studies from cities such as Kelowna, Winnipeg, Malmö, and Espoo to illustrate good practices in reporting and community engagement.

• The process of developing a Voluntary Local Review (VLR) provides benefits beyond reporting, including generating local momentum for participatory decision-making, reconciliation, and resiliency against future shocks.
• Successful SDG localization and VLR reporting rely on several core elements: identifying local priorities, forming partnerships, ensuring participation (Leave No One Behind), utilizing data and indicators, incorporating community stories, and establishing leadership and organization.
• For Canadian communities, VLRs offer a critical opportunity to advance transformative reconciliation and support Indigenous leadership, as the 2030 Agenda and SDGs alone do not fully encompass Indigenous rights and colonial responsibilities.
• Effective data collection regarding First Nations must adhere to the Ownership, Control, Access and Possession (OCAP) principles to support Indigenous data sovereignty.
• The 'Leave No One Behind' (LNOB) principle is often difficult to implement; in Canada, recent immigrants, people with disabilities, and Indigenous Peoples are identified as major marginalized groups that must be prioritized in stakeholder engagement.
• Case studies of Canadian cities show varying approaches: Kelowna's VLR frames LNOB as an 'Indigenous approach' but notes gaps in disaggregated data, while Winnipeg's VLR utilizes the 'Peg' community indicator system and includes a dedicated chapter on Truth and Reconciliation.
• International examples from Malmö, Sweden, and Espoo, Finland, demonstrate the use of community stories to complement statistical data and the alignment of VLRs with broader city development strategies.
• There is a notable gap in existing VLR literature regarding specific communication strategies and plans for sharing results with diverse audiences.
• To facilitate national reporting and vertical coherence, it is recommended that VLRs follow a structure that mirrors the UN's Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs).

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (2022). Voluntary Local Reviews of Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-07/vlr-handbook-canada.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Voluntary Local Reviews of Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. 2022. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-07/vlr-handbook-canada.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Voluntary Local Reviews of Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals |date=July 2022 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-07/vlr-handbook-canada.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopment2022voluntary, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Voluntary Local Reviews of Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2022}, month = jul, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-07/vlr-handbook-canada.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }