Applying the Three Horizons approach in local and regional scenarios to support policy coherence in SDG implementation: Insights from arid Spain

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Authors

  • María D. López-Rodríguez
  • Amanda Jiménez-Aceituno
  • Cristina Quintas-Soriano
  • Juan Miguel Requena-Mullor
  • Enrica Garau
  • Daniela Alba-Patiño
  • Irene Otamendi-Urroz
  • Ana Paula D. Aguiar
  • Sofía Cortés-Calderón
  • Antonio J. Castro

The Three Horizons for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a novel participatory approach to co-create future sustainable scenarios for supporting the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Whereas the approach has been applied to inform the design of global-scale sustainability scenarios based on regional perspectives, it has not been implemented to explore how local and regional scenarios can be connected across sites and scales to inform governance processes in the implementation of the SDGs. This study applies an adapted version of the Three Horizons for the SDGs approach in four sites at regional and local scales in Spanish drylands to explore its potential to support policy coherence at multiple governance scales for advancing SDG implementation through dialogue between actors from multiple sectors. We conducted four two-day in-person workshops with diverse actors (n = 59) to explore their perceptions about the desired futures, current concerns, and strategies to achieve sustainable futures in the region. Results reveal 27 similar and nine dissimilar themes related to desired futures and current concerns, respectively. These findings provide common ground and highlight different contextual realities between sites that may serve as a basis for harmonizing policy priorities for advancing regional and local SDG implementation. The study also identifies 19 themes encompassing multiple strategies with the potential to establish associations across sites and scales to coordinate actions in alignment with the 2030 Agenda. We argue that the adapted version of the Three Horizons for the SDGs approach can serve as a tool to support coherent multi-scale governance needed to achieve global sustainability goals. We discuss lessons learned and limitations encountered from using the approach that provides guidance for future experiences.

Original languageEnglish
Article number102922
JournalGlobal Environmental Change
Volume89
Number of pages16
ISSN0959-3780
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01.12.2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024

    Research areas

  • Future scenarios, Multi-scale governance, Participatory approach, Sustainability, Sustainable development goals, Transformative change
  • Sustainability Governance

Recently viewed

Publications

  1. Entwicklung und Validierung eines Fragebogens zur emotionsspezifischen Selbsteinschätzung emotionaler Kompetenzen (SEK-ES).
  2. Customer Profitability Analysis in decision-making–The roles of customer characteristics, cost structures, and strategizing
  3. Evidence for regional-scale declines in carabid beetles in old lowland beech forests following a period of severe drought
  4. Woody plant species diversity as a predictor of ecosystem services in a social–ecological system of southwestern Ethiopia
  5. Fostering collective climate action and leadership: Insights from a pilot experiment involving mindfulness and compassion
  6. Challenges and opportunities for grassland restoration: A global perspective of best practices in the era of climate change
  7. Spatial variation in human disturbances and their effects on forest structure and biodiversity across an Afromontane forest
  8. Künstliche Experimente und Konjunkturforschung: Eine exemplarische Betrachtung des wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnisfortschritts
  9. Psychosoziale Gesundheitsförderung durch digitale Spielanwendungen? Vom Widerspruch zur lohnenswerten Präventionsperspektive
  10. Metallurgical aspects of joining commercially pure titanium to Ti-6Al-4V alloy in a T-joint configuration by laser beam welding
  11. Using Long-Duration Static Stretch Training to Counteract Strength and Flexibility Deficits in Moderately Trained Participants
  12. The predictive value of individual and work-related resources for the health and work satisfaction of German school principals
  13. Log in and breathe out: efficacy and cost-effectiveness of an online sleep training for teachers affected by work-related strain
  14. Emotion-regulation skills training enhances the efficacy of inpatient cognitive behavioral therapy for major depressive disorder