Udalsarea 2030, Basque network of sustainable municipalities
Udalsarea 2030 is the Basque network of sustainable municipalities. Its goal is to foster local sustainability and encourage coordination between the different levels of the public administration of the Basque Country: Basque Government, public authorities, Provincial Councils, supramunicipal authorities and local councils. The latter play a particularly important role. Furthermore, its remit includes driving the sustainability action plans and policies of the network's local authorities. Those plans and policies are always aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The network was founded on 20 December 2002 with the commitment to drive local sustainable action. That was to be achieved by means of implementing sustainable development policies to improve the health and wellbeing of citizens/quality of life of citizens. Special mention should be made of the great number of Local Sustainability Action Plans that improve the quality of life of the Basque population.
The network fosters a model of local governance, based on the assessment and monitoring of local policies and accountability by means of fostering mainstreaming and citizen participation.
Mission
Udalsarea 2030's mission is to rally Basque municipalities and supramunicipal districts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda. This is to be achieved by transformative local action and the alignment and coherence of supramunicipal and local policies.
Its vision is to be an active network, a benchmark for Basque municipalities and authorities thanks to its innovative and advanced services in coordination with its stakeholders. Along with its contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly on the path to climate resilience and neutrality, land protection and driving the circular economy. Furthermore, it enjoys prestige in Spain and Europe endorsed by its track record of over 20 years.
Management and strategic plans
Udalsarea 2030 is governed by its regular management and strategic plans, which are always prepared with input from the parties involved. The plans aim to adapt the action of the network and its operating model to the existing climate to meet the challenges set. The evolution in the demands referring to local sustainability policies are always taken into account.
The current 2025 Strategic Plan emerged from this context. It is the fifth of a consecutive series in force between 2003-2005, 2006-2009, 2010-2015 and 2016-2020. The aim is to consolidate and improve the network's tools and instruments, along with providing continuity and driving new transformation action challenges.
The Sustainable Development Goals
The 2030 Agenda is the new international development plan that was approved by the United Nations in September 2015. Its aim is to be a tool in the fight for sustainable human development around the world, and its key pillars are the eradication of poverty, the reduction of vulnerability and inequality, and the promotion of sustainability. This is a unique opportunity to change the world by 2030 and to guarantee human rights for all people.
The 2030 Agenda is universal. It comes with a recognition that development needs are the same for everyone, regardless of where they live. All people need health, education, housing, jobs, energy, equality, peace and healthy ecosystems to live decently, both now and in generations to come.
Under the title, «Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development», the final document adopted by the member states defines 17 objectives, called the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and 169 targets.
Udalsarea’s contribution to the 2030 Agenda
Udalsarea 2030 has analysed the contribution that the municipalities in this municipal network have made so far to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through Local Sustainability Action Plans, taking 2015 (the year the SDGs were approved) as a baseline.
The analysis in this report is based on information available in the "Basque Country's Local Sustainability Observatory", which was drawn up by evaluating and monitoring how the Udalsarea 21 municipalities have carried out their Local Sustainability Action Plans every year.
The involvement of municipalities through their Local Sustainability Action Plans was analysed for each SDG, together with the results obtained from the average values of the indicators associated with that SDG. In addition, 78 goals were identified that serve as a reference in the local sphere, 17 of which represent new challenges for the future for Basque municipalities. As a result, a rating index was produced for each SDG between 0 and 10 from the amount of information available, the level of action up to 2015, and the objectives achieved.
This analysis has enabled Udalsarea 2030 to identify the new challenges posed by the 2030 Agenda and to propose guidelines to be taken into account when the local councils in the Basque Country draw up their future Local Sustainability Action Plans.
The Basque Declaration
Representatives and local leaders gathered at the 8th European Conference of Sustainable Cities and Towns, held in the Basque Country in 2018, signed the Basque Declaration, a document that defines new paths for European cities and towns to become productive, sustainable and sustainable municipalities. resilient, within the framework of a more livable and inclusive Europe.
The Basque Declaration includes a total of 15 pathways to support and accelerate socio-cultural, socio-economic and technological transformations that ensure a better quality of life for citizens, while respecting local and global ecosystems and the available natural resources .
The declaration recognizes the need for transformation to "decarbonize" the energy system, configure patterns of sustainable urban mobility, protect and improve the services of ecosystems and biodiversity, reduce the use of natural spaces and green areas, protect water resources and air quality, adapt to climate change, improve public spaces, provide adequate housing, ensure social inclusion and strengthen local economies.
To achieve these goals, the Basque Declaration sets a total of 15 ways to move towards an inclusive and livable Europe. These routes lead to a socio-cultural, socio-economic and technological transformation. It is a call to reflect on the gap between the public and private sectors, and to involve citizens. The text proposes the stimulation of local value chains applying innovative ways to move towards a circular economy and be able to finance it. Regarding technological transformation, the Basque Declaration highlights the importance of using smart technologies, integrating public procurement as a powerful tool and the use of open-data standards.
The aim of the Basque Declaration is to inspire cities and towns to develop and create their own transformative actions.
