The Contribution of RCEs for the Implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda Case Study Presentation Dr. Salim Lardjane, RCE Brittany Europe Regional Meeting 2019 13-14 September, 2019, Heraklion, Greece

1. The contribution of RCEs for the
implementation of the UN 2030
Agenda
K. Schulla, W. Leal Filho, S. Lardjane*
J. H. Sommer, A. L. Salvia,
C. Borgemeister
*RCE Brittany, Université Bretagne Sud, France

2. Introduction
• Taking into account the importance of
partnerships for sustainability, this research
deals with the extent to which the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development and the
17 SDGs are being implemented by multi-
stakeholders networks, specifically among the
Regional Centers of Expertise (RCE) on
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).

3. Methodology
•A survey was developed and conducted (April-
July 2018) using a list-based sampling frame of
159 RCEs, from all over the world.
•The survey was voluntary and anonymous and
consisted of 25 ques[ons divided into four
sec[ons:

4. Methodology
1.RCEs and their involvement with the SDGs,
2.network links within regions and countries,
3.network links in the interna[onal context, and
4.barriers, challenges and opportuni[es.

5. Methodology
•There were in total 31 replies to the survey,
belonging to the four RCEs con[nental groups,
respec[vely 14 from Europe, 8 from Africa and
Middle East, 5 from Asia-Pacific, and 4 from the
Americas.

6. Methodology
•The results are structured according to :
a) RCEs involvement with the SDGs in a regional,
na[onal, and interna[onal context;
b) RCEs clustering according to similari[es in
dealing with the SDGs; and
c) challenges for RCEs dealing with the SDGs.

7. Involvement
•Based on self-percep[on, 87 percent of the
RCEs believe that they are strongly involved
with the SDGs.

8. Involvement
•The core focus of RCEs, Educa[on for
Sustainable Development (ESD), is explicitly
men[oned in Goal 4, Target 4.7.
•The results of the survey indicate that Goal 4
was used by more than 80 percent of the
respondents and that 10 percent of the
respondents deal with Goal 4 only.

9. Involvement
•Survey results show that all RCEs are currently
involved with projects and ac[ons for SDGs,
ranging from 1 to 14 for each respondent.
•The ini[a[ves consist of research for SDGs (45
percent of the respondents), development
projects (71 percent), adver[sing campaigns (39
percent), but also lectures at universi[es, and
SDG books, designed for teaching and community
development.

10. Involvement
•No strong involvement in na[onal processes for
SDGs was iden[fied in this survey.
•Only 39 percent of RCEs par[cipate in local
governments’ ac[ons towards the 2030 Agenda
or consulta[on processes to na[onal/local
governments.
• Only 23 percent are part of na[onal
commieees.

11. Involvement
•RCEs collabora[on in the interna[onal arena is
mainly within the RCEs global network.
•About 61 percent of RCEs collaborate within the
global RCE network and the RCE coordina[on Centre
at UNU-IAS in Japan, and within con[nental clusters.
•Further collabora[ons are with interna[onal
networks and organisa[ons such as UNESCO, UNDP,
Copernicus Alliance, ESD Expert-Net, Erasmus+
Program, Learning Ci[es, and so on.

12. Three types of RCEs
•Hierarchical clustering and factor map analyzes
enabled the grouping of the RCEs par[cipa[ng
in the study in three clusters.
•Cluster 1 is the biggest with 55 percent of
respondents. It contains RCEs focused mainly
on ESD, that is, Goal 4, Target 4.7.

13. Three types of RCEs
•Addi[onal parts of their work include Goals 13
(Climate Ac[on), 14 (Life below Water) and 15
(Life on Land).
• These RCEs are equally distributed among
con[nents and affiliated to diverse
organisa[ons, but mainly to educa[onal
ins[tu[ons and non-profits ones.

14. Three types of RCEs
•They mostly operate in development projects
for SDGs, in horizontal or bilateral
collabora[ons.
•They favor the boeom-up approach to deal
with SDGs and consider the networks
informality as a factor which fosters
collabora[on.

15. Three types of RCEs
•Cluster 2, consis[ng of Thriving RCEs, contains 19
percent of respondents.
•They are mostly located in Europe and affiliated
to educa[onal ins[tu[ons. Their focus is on Goals
17 (Partnership), 4 (Educa[on), 16 (Ins[tu[ons),
and 11 (Sustainable Ci[es and Communi[es).
•They contribute at the na[onal level in consul[ng
na[onal/local government for the SDGs.

16. Three types of RCEs
•These RCEs are characterized by long-term
financial stability.
•Collabora[ons between network partners are
horizontal, bilateral or ver[cal depending on
the funding scheme.

17. Three types of RCEs
•Cluster 3 corresponds to Versa[le (Polyvalent)
RCEs.
•About 26 percent of respondents belong to this
cluster.
•Fily percent of them are located in Europe.
•They are affiliated to diverse organiza[ons.

18. Three types of RCEs
•Their ac[ons for SDGs cover most of the Goals,
and range from research and adver[sing/
campaigning to development projects.
•They operate in horizontal or bilateral
collabora[ons but also as leaders of the ac[ons
for the SDGs.

19. Three types of RCEs
•They contribute to na[onal commieees and local
government ac[ons.
•These RCEs are more ac[ve in coopera[ng with
interna[onal organisa[ons.
• Their approach towards the SDGs is a combina[on
of boeom-up and top-down, and they consider the
2030 Agenda as a method to measure impact.
•Funding remains a challenge.

20. Challenges
•Due to the [meline of the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development, about 70 percent of
RCEs agree that changes are needed for
adap[ng to the SDGs.

21. Challenges
•Governance challenges are related to issues
such as ver[cal outreach, horizontal outreach,
equal partnership and access in the decision
process, and structural changes.
•Lack of autonomy from the hos[ng
organisa[on is considered as an obstacle only
by 19 percent of RCEs.

22. Horizontal Outreach
•The necessity to expand the network with new
partners for SDGs is stressed by 74 percent of
RCEs.

23. Horizontal Outreach
•Another iden[fied challenge is to engage
exis[ng partners in long term commitments for
SDGs.
•The results of our survey indicate that RCE
partners deal independently with the SDGs in
65 percent of the cases, those not involved are
13 percent, and 19 percent might get involved
in the future.

24. Vertical Outreach
•Ver[cal outreach requires a stronger involvement
of RCEs in the country processes and Voluntary
Na[onal Reports.
•Ver[cal integra[on is considered crucial for the
implementa[on of the 2030 Agenda, depending
on poli[cal will at central level, resources and
capaci[es to deal with Targets and Indicators, and
the degree of involvement of non-state actors.

25. Structural Changes
•Only 10 percent of RCEs perceive changes in
leadership and governance structures to be
necessary for the SDG process.

26. Structural Changes
•A majority of RCEs believe in a boeom-up approach
led by their networks to be most effec[ve for SDGs
implementa[on.
•About one third of the respondents believe in a
top-down approach, preferably led by na[onal or
interna[onal organisa[ons.
•Forty-five percent of RCEs prefer to use a focus-
oriented approach for selected Goals, when they
intersect with their thema[c issues.

27. Finances
• The results of the survey iden[fy the lack of
financial resources for the SDGs as the biggest
challenge.
• Establishing long term financial mechanisms
and the need for addi[onal resources are
considered a major challenge by 94 percent of
the respondents.

28. Recommandations
•Increase horizontal outreach by extending the
network with new influencing partners with
interest in SDGs related issues.
•Increase the parPcipaPon of the business sector
for joint commitments for the SDGs.

29. Recommandations
•Increase partner's access to network decision
making processes, engaging the exisPng partners
in long term commitments for the SDGs.
•Increase verPcal outreach by bigger parPcipaPon
in SDG naPonal processes, such as naPonal
commiSees for SDGs and the preparaPon of
VNRs (Voluntary NaPonal Reports).

30. Recommandations
•Encourage collaboraPons for SDGs with other
RCEs through RCEs global network.
•Establish collaboraPon with internaPonal
organisaPons acPve in SDG processes.
•Encourage joint financial commitments among
the network partners for the SDGs.

31. Reference
The contribu-on of Regional Centers of Exper-se for the
implementa-on of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development.
Kalterina Shulla, Walter Leal Filho, Salim Lardjane, Jan Henning
Sommer, Amanda Lange Salvia, Chris[an Borgemeister.
Journal of Cleaner Produc/on Vol. 237 (2019).
heps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar[cle/pii/
S0959652619326691