Councillors, City Planners, and local community activists recently took part in a workshop organised by Galway City Community Network on exploring how Sustainable Development Goals can be embedded in city planning.
Part of the focus of the meeting was on showcasing the model NUIG has implemented in embedding the SDGs across the campus.
The meeting also heard how critical it is to provide leadership and the pivotal part the new City Development Plan could play in this.
Councillor Niall McNelis thanked the GCCN for organising this workshop, and praised the sustainable development goals for their potential to build better communities.
“By building each of the 17 goals into our development plan, service plans, economic plans we, as a City, can measure what we can achieve to better our community.”
“The SDGs are about housing, access, quality of life, mental health, education, clean water, inclusiveness, climate action and our community.”
The workshop was hosted by the Sustainable Developments Goals working group established by GCCN last year in collaboration with the city council.
Councillor McNelis emphasised that kind of cooperation when he said that by having City Hall, NUIG, community groups, GMIT, HSE and business groups work together, Galway can become a leader in sustainable development.
“Looking forward to working on being Ireland’s first city to embrace the SDGs in our daily lives and supporting GCCN in delivering these Goals in our future development plans.”
Mayor of Galway City Councillor Collette Connolly summed up the meeting by stressing the urgency of taking action, and how critical it was to secure funding for this.
The Galway City SDG Working Group, established by GCCN in 2020, in collaboration with Galway City Council will continue supporting the work of Galway City Councillors in relation to embedding the SDGs in city planning.
