Sustainability governance model

The Tallinn Sustainability Governance model is based on three pillars:  

• Strategic planning: What is to be achieved using the sustainability governance model 

• Multi-level governance: Cooperation and co-creation with partners, stakeholders and citizens.  

• Organisational development: Developing culture, mindset and skills for sustainability.  

The basis of the model is the localisation of SDGs, which marks the starting point for implementing the model and is the foundation of its integrated approach. 

The Development Strategy ‘Tallinn 2035’ includes the intended goals of the model. Tallinn 2035 provides the backbone for the city governance, personnel, financial and strategic planning, and development plans since 2021. The SDGs are being localised through this strategy in Tallinn, including in its key performance indicators (KPIs).  

Under multi-level governance, Tallinn is elaborating principles for citizen engagement, including testing and implementing different participation forums, for example, ‘Participatory Budget’, ‘Citizens Assembly’, and the physical participation hub “Avalinn”.   

Under the pillar Organisational development, Tallinn is focusing on building organisational culture and mindset for sustainability, involving human resources and communication departments. Priorities include creating a narrative for storytelling and communicating the sustainable development of the city, and revising and amending all city training programmes with sustainable development modules. 

Tallinn's model for Sustainability Governance uses the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as its framework, to provide a holistic and integrated approach. The governance model’s starting point is the localisation of SDGs, following Tallinn’s development strategy ‘Tallinn 2035’. 

This ensures an integrated, shared understanding of what sustainability is, based on the three dimensions of sustainability in the SDGs: environmental, economic and social. The model uses this integrated approach, which includes an ex ante impact assessment tool to compare different interventions based on their impact on the three dimensions of sustainability, to guide informed decisions during financial planning.  

Additionally, the development of an SDG impact assessment tool now provides a methodology to assess projects/activities through the lens of the SDGs, discovering potential synergies and conflicts between sectors. 

One of the three pillars of the sustainability governance model is ‘Multi-level governance’, which directly focuses on involving stakeholders from different tiers and sectors of government, various organisations, businesses, civil society, and local residents. 

The participatory approach is a prerequisite when implementing the sustainability governance model. The ‘Tallinn 2035’ strategy was developed with the participation of around 7 000 local residents, whose ideas were collected via workshops and surveys. Residents and other stakeholders were involved from the start, and at all stages, to create a sense of ownership of the resulting planning documents.

Tallinn uses a participatory budget, allowing residents to propose ideas to improve their communities, with EUR 1 million per round. Final decisions of what to implement are made in a binding public referendum.

Another example is Tallinn’s first Citizens’ Assembly (October-November 2023), where 60 local residents with different profiles discussed how to best integrate Tallinn’s green spaces.  

Tallinn’s approach to sustainable development impacts both its local communities and Estonia as a whole. With around 445 000 inhabitants, Tallinn makes up 33% of the Estonian population, and generates 54.6% of the country’s GDP. 

Balancing the capital’s strong economy with the social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development is central to the city’s long-term development strategy ‘Tallinn 2035’. This strategy has now become the backbone of Tallinn’s Sustainability Governance model, ensuring its practical application.. Since its adoption, the focus has been on strengthening the model with support from every department of the municipality, including human resources and communication. 

While governance changes are difficult to quantify, staff training and survey results will help track the strategy’s long-term impacts on the city, and its progress towards ‘Tallinn 2035’ targets and the SDGs. 

Tallinn’s model for Sustainability Governance highlights the need for reformed urban governance to enable cities to manage sustainability transformations. The model is relevant for cities of all sizes, and fosters multi-level governance dialogue between local, regional, national and EU levels, as well as the UN.

Interest in the SDGs is growing. Eurocities’ SDG Task Force involves about 50 cities, Tallinn’s Sustainability Governance Hub is expanding with both city and international partners, and the growth of Voluntary Local Reviews also reflects this trend. Tallinn’s model provides an innovative way for cities to tackle complex local problems, while contributing to EU and global agendas.

Tallinn’s model is linked to the UN’s Agenda 2030, with a focus on localising the SDGs, and the Urban Agenda for the EU which recognises the crucial role of cities in achieving the SDGs. Therefore, it suits any city where SDGs have been localised or where there is interest in doing so.

The model provides tools and principles to help cities achieve strategic goals. These goals might vary, though all European cities face the climate crisis and other common challenges. The model is focused on these shared problems, but is highly flexible for adaptation to other city’s contexts.

Implementing the model requires the involvement of all city departments, ideally led by a sustainability expert with the mandate to organise cross-sector roundtables. Top-level support and a high level of strategic planning are also essential.

To help cities adopt the model, Tallinn: