The Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3) of the Central Transdanubian Region is designed to drive economic growth and innovation by leveraging the region's unique strengths. The primary objective of the S3 is to foster sustainable territorial development by focusing on areas where the region has a competitive advantage. This involves promoting innovation, enhancing productivity, and improving balanced territorial development.
The project is directly linked to the following priorities: 6.5. Territorial Innovation Development and 6.6. Resilient and Green Urban Growth.
Territorial Innovation Development priority aims to enhance the region's innovation capacity and promote economic development. This involves focusing on the following key areas: local economy development, innovation ecosystem, infrastructure development involving digital transition. The priority 6.6 focuses on integrating innovative solutions to foster urban growth that is both resilient and environmentally sustainable. It aims to combine socially inclusive and environmentally friendly development practices, ensuring that cities can adapt to changing conditions while promoting a high quality of life for all residents. This approach encompasses green infrastructure, sustainable transportation, energy-efficient buildings, and community-focused planning, creating a holistic framework for the sustainable development of urban areas.

The ERDF Programme sets out an investment strategy for the €217m allocation for the Northern and Western Region, some 60% of which is financed by the EU. The strategy is focused on three strategic outcomes:
Priority 1:
Developing a Smarter More Competitive Region by building RD&I capacity within the public research institutions in our region (including the newly established Atlantic Technological University (ATU), by accelerating the translation of cutting-edge research into commercial applications at a regional level, by supporting innovation diffusion and by strengthening regional innovation ecosystems in line with Ireland's Smart Specialisation Strategy and the Regional Enterprise Plans.
Priority 2:
Creating a Greener More Energy Efficient Region and a Just Transition by focusing on scaling up investment in actions that improve the energy efficiency of residential homes while targeting homeowners in, or at risk of, energy poverty.
Priority 3:
Supporting Sustainable Urban Development in our Region by taking an integrated strategic approach to the regeneration of our towns using a Town Centres First Framework.
Northern and Western Regional Assembly will focus on this last Priority number 3 under its participation in this project.

The city of Mannheim started localizing the SDGs over eight years ago. To this end, it developed the so-called "Mannheim 2030 Mission Statement", in a broad-based participation process. This consists of seven strategic goals that reflect the 17 SDGs. Impact and performance targets for the specialist departments of the entire city administration are derived from the seven strategic goals and their work contributes to the Mannheim strategy. The seven strategic goals are firmly anchored in the municipal budget with indicators.
Every year, the City of Mannheim reports on how it has come closer to achieving the seven strategic goals and thus also the local implementation of the 17 SDGs in its annual report.
In this regard, Mannheim focusses on city-to-city learning to pass on knowledge and experience and to continuously develop and optimize the tool.
We developed together with the citizens our “Mannheim 2030” Vision, which is directly related to the 17 SDG´s. With our Strategic management system we are not only “harvesting” the ideas from the citizens, we are integrating them in our administration Strategic management system and our budget plan.
Due to priorities, we can concentrate the participation processes into Actions like at the moment creating “Local Green deals” of civil society to achieve our Goal, being climate neutral till 2030. We also want after the participation activate more (all?) Mannheimers to take part in the achievement of the Mannheim 2030 Vision.

The regional plan for land-use and transport for Oslo includes the surrounding county of Akershus, with 22 smaller municipalities and a total population of about 1.8 million. This joint metropolitan area closely matches the functional urban area.
Oslo and Akershus are revising the earlier regional plan for land-use and transport, which was approved in 2015, and social sustainability will now be an additional and cross-cutting factor in the revision. Our evaluation showed the risk of spatial inequalities due to urban densification. We need to address this challenge without encouraging urban sprawl.
The main measures to be developed are guidelines, an Action Program and possibly planning requirements in the revised regional plan. These will oblige local, regional and national authorities to follow up within metropolitan area. The housing market covers the whole functional area; some follow-up may be needed from national bodies, some by regional bodies and others by municipalities.
The regional plan for the Oslo metropolitan area has the potential to address the overall challenges of territorial inequality through measures that apply across the whole region. This should reduce the risk of competition between local authorities and local communities and keep within the framework of national policies.

The Spanish Urban Agenda is a strategic document, non-regulatory in nature and therefore of voluntary adherence, that, in accordance with the criteria established by the 2030 Agenda, the New Urban Agenda of the United Nations, and the Urban Agenda for the European Union, aims to achieve sustainability in urban development policies. It also serves as a working method and a process for all public and private actors involved in cities who seek equitable, just, and sustainable development from their respective fields of action.
Following an intense development process and a broad participatory process that lasted almost a year, this integrated urban development strategy offers a Decalogue of Strategic Objectives:
Strategic Objective 1: Territorial organization and rational use of land.
SO 2: Promote social cohesion and equity.
SO 3: Avoid urban dispersion and revitalize the existing city.
SO 4: Promote and support the Urban Economy.
SO 5: Prevent and reduce the impacts of climate change and improve resilience.
SO 6: Guarantee access to housing.
SO 7: Ensure sustainable management of resources and promote the circular economy.
SO 8: Lead and promote digital innovation.
SO 9: Promote proximity and sustainable mobility.
SO 10: Improve intervention instruments and governance.
These objectives unfold into 30 specific goals and 291 guidelines, providing those interested in its implementation, municipalities in particular, with a true "à la carte menu" to create their own action plans.

The Sustainable Development Study for Historical and Cultural Conservation of Chisinau is a comprehensive policy that aims to achieve several key objectives:
- Protect and restore historical sites to maintain cultural identity;
- Involve local communities in conservation efforts to foster social cohesion;
- Implement measures to reduce pollution and enhance green spaces around historical sites.
- Promote sustainable development that benefits local economies while preserving assets.
State of Play and Challenges: Chisinau faces significant challenges in social and environmental sustainability of its historic center. Rapid urbanization has led to the degradation of historical sites and increased pollution. Socially, there is a lack of community involvement in conservation efforts, leading to a disconnect between residents and their cultural heritage. Additionally, economic constraints limit the allocation of funding for preservation initiatives.
The SDSHCC addresses these issues by emphasizing community participation in decision-making processes and promoting sustainable practices in research, urban planning, cultural heritage, tourism. It seeks to balance development with the preservation of cultural and environmental resources, ensuring that both social and ecological aspects are integrated into the conservation strategy. By fostering local engagement and sustainable practices, the SDSHCC aims to create a resilient framework for the future of Chisinau’s historic center.

The Krakow Metropolitan Area 2030 Strategy (KMA 2030 Strategy) is a cooperation plan involving 15 associated municipalities for supra-local, sustainable development. Its main goal is to improve the quality of life by ensuring access to high-quality public services and preserving environmental, cultural, and social values for long-term sustainability. The strategy includes goals in 7 strategic areas of cooperation:
• Smart governance: intelligent management based on partnership and committed staff
• Environment and spatial management: creating an environmentally friendly, climate-neutral area with a high quality of life
• Mobility: developing an active, ecological, and efficient transport system
• Economy: creating lasting relations in the network of leading economic centres of Europe
• Leisure: transforming into an inspiring area drawing in diversity and local potentials, based on cooperation networks
• Education: fostering effective, inclusive education based on creative relationships
• Social services: providing modern and accessible social services, valuing equality and social solidarity.
The functional and spatial structure model is a tool created as part of the KMA 2030 Strategy. The model highlights the need to focus on developing the area to ensure a high standard of living, accessibility to high-quality public services, and protection and strengthening of values important for long-term sustainable development.

The Prague Strategic Plan (2016) is a document that sets the basic framework for the long-term sustainable development of the city of Prague and IPR Prague is a responsible authority for this existing Policy Instrument. The plan consists of three main sections: analytical, proposal and implementation section. It aims to provide the public and private sectors with an idea of the socio-economic direction of Prague until 2030. The Strategic Plan is a very important and respected shared vision of the city's development.
The document traces strategic roadmaps in three broadly defined pillars of development: (1) A Cohesive and Healthy City - ie social cohesion and quality fo life, (2) A Prosperous and Creative City - ie economic growth and culture and finally (3) A Well-Governed City - sustainability and efficiency. It is currently due for revision, and with the shift in policy focus it needs a stronger emphasis especially in the following topics:
(1.1F) Social Inclusion,
(1.2A) Support of Local Communities,
(1.3A) A City of Short Distances,
(1.4A) Green Infrastructure
(1.5C) The Quality of Public Space
(2.3D) Culture in Public Space
(2.4A) Sufficient Infrastructure in Education
(3.1C) Decision-Making Continuity
(3.3B) Sustainable Development and Environmental Friendliness.

In 2021, the Tallinn City Council adopted the Tallinn Development Strategy “Tallinn 2035", with the vision "Tallinn - Green and Global". It includes six strategic goals: 1. Friendly urban space; 2. Creative global city; 3. Healthy mobility; 4. Green transformation; 5. Kind community; 6. Home that includes the street (see: https://strateegia.tallinn.ee/en/). Tallinn 2035 provides the backbone for the city organisation’s governance, personnel, financial and strategic planning and development plans since 2021.To monitor the success of the implementation of Tallinn 2035, the city has constructed an all-encompassing KPI system to work with long-term, short-term and medium-term strategic planning tools such as development plans, operational programmes, budget strategies, the city budget, etc. The KPI package includes around 300 indicators, some of which are directly linked with the UN SDGs. These KPIs are earmarked and will be used to compile a Voluntary Local Review, planned for 2026 (see further below). Every year the city’s annual financial report gives an overview of the current state of indicators as well as the actions taken during the past year.