Seoul Opens an Online Platform to Tackle Urban Challenges with Other Cities

The Seoul Metropolitan Government opened ‘Urban SDG Knowledge Platform’ on December 1st, 2016 in cooperation with UNESCAP and CityNet.

The ‘Urban SDG Knowledge Platform’ is an intercity collaboration platform that seeks solutions to urban problems in the Asia-Pacific region to achieve ‘Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs, 2016 ~ 2030)’ adopted at the ‘International Forum on Urban Policy for Sustainable Development Goals’ held in Seoul City Hall in June 2016 with the participation of the three organizations and ‘UN Sustainable Development Summit’.

The platform will serve as a forum for sharing policies and communication to address urban problems. Through sharing policies, it is expected that cities around the world will contribute to reducing economic losses by reducing budgets, shortening the implementation period, and reducing trial and error.

Through the Urban SDG Knowledge Platform, cities around the world will introduce their philosophy, concept, and concrete urban policies and goals regarding the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and share their know-how including budget, manpower, stakeholders, implementation period, obstacles and adaptation plans. In addition, they will be able to share various contents such as videos and images, exchange opinions on policies, and provide contacts for communication and cooperation between cities.

In addition, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will participate in the “Workshop on Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Asian and Pacific Cities” held at UNESCAP Headquarters (Bangkok) during the SDG Week for the successful operation and continuation of the platform. It will introduce online platforms for foreign cities, international organizations and international NGOs, and will request active cooperation from overseas cities.

The United Nations and other international organizations as well as the Seoul Metropolitan Government have been sharing city policies such as traffic, environment and urban planning with foreign cities, but this is the first time to open an online platform on urban policy to achieve and implement sustainable development goals.

Lee Byeonghan, officer of the International Cooperation Bureau of Seoul, said “Through the establishment of this online platform, Seoul will respond promptly to the global efforts to achieve sustainable development and prepare a venue for international organizations and overseas cities to solve urban problems. Seoul will become the central city for urban problem solving. As the role of city government becomes more important in the future, we expect many cities to participate in the online platform, seek city cooperation centered on specific city problems, share know-how and communicate between cities.”

Go to the website of Urban SDG Knowledge Platform: www.urbansdgplatform.org