Is territorial governance “measurable”? Operationalizing SDG11.a in the metropolitan city of Turin

Abstract

The United Nations explicitly recognise the central role of urbanization processes in global development trajectories in the Agenda 2030, mainly through one of its 17 Sustainable Development Goals, i.e. SDG11. This goal emphasises making human settlements more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. The progress achieved towards the targets that articulate this goal is constantly monitored through a system of indicators. However, this process is complex, especially for those targets that concern the quality of the policies intended to guide development phenomena. This is the case with SDG11.a, which aims to «Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning» and therefore regards territorial governance activities. In a recent contribution, the authors explored the contents and implications of SDG11.a and developed a system of procedural, instrumental, and financial indicators aimed at evaluating the quality of territorial governance. This paper operationalises some of these indicators concerning a real territorial context - the Metropolitan City of Turin - to reflect on their practicability and the added value they can provide in decision-making and monitoring. The work results show how any measurement of the quality of territorial governance remains inherently linked to the institutional characteristics of the context and the actual availability of data and information. This undoubtedly complicates the use of the indicators proposed in a comparative perspective; however, their application can promote critical reflections by public authorities and the development of more effective policies.