The proposed project will boost SDG localization by empowering local governments (cities, states, regions) to ensure the resilience, inclusiveness and sustainability of their infrastructure assets and planned large scale infrastructure investments in 6 countries. The main challenge it addresses is the lack of capacity of participating local and national governments to effectively manage existing infrastructure assets and planned infrastructure investments over their entire lifespans, and plan for and mitigate risks affecting these investments. With 92% of SDGs and its targets linked to resilient infrastructure, building public sector capacity on infrastructure asset management is a powerful tool to turbocharge the SDGs. Drawing from the UN DESA Handbook on Infrastructure Asset Management,  and associated toolkit (including the EnABLE IAM assessment tool),  the project will train local and central government officials in six countries (name them)  in designing and implementing local and resilient infrastructure asset management practices and corresponding community-driven, multi-year infrastructure asset management action plans that ensure continuity of public services and leave no one behind. Utilizing guidance tools on resilient Infrastructure Asset Management (IAM) from the UN Handbook on IAM, the project entails increasing the capacity of central and local government training institutions and universities to introduce new curricula on resilient infrastructure asset management for current and future generations of public sector officials. Good practices and lessons learned at the end of the project cycle will also be captured in an extended, second version of the UN IAM handbook with new concrete tools to support resilient public asset management. Other key stakeholders include central government ministries, regional, national and sub-national development banks, local government officials (elected and administrative) as well as civil society, youth / students, and the private sector. UN DESA is the main implementing entity with UNOPS as co-implementing partner. UN DESA will also consult and engage with relevant UNCTs, UNDP, UN Habitat, and UN regional economic and social commissions in the implementation of the project activities.

The project aims to develop and advance a set of metrics that complement and go beyond GDP and to strengthen national capacities to design, implement, and integrate beyond-GDP metrics into evidence-based decision-making processes to foster inclusive and sustainable development.The project will be implemented in two sequential and complementary phases: Phase1: Convening of a High-Level Expert Group (HLEG), as requested in the Pact for the Future, and support to its work. Specifically, Phase1 will provide substantive and analytical support to the High-Level Expert Group and its operational functioning. It will help collate available data sources and needs for new measures, as a basis for identifying a limited number of country-owned and universally applicable indicators of sustainable development that complement and go beyond GDP. Phase2: will follow phase1 and build on its outcomes by supporting pilot testing at country level of recommended beyond-GDP metrics. By leveraging innovative methods, AI, and non-traditional data sources, the project will also test their use at the country level. Phase2 will equip governments with tools and guidance to address key gaps in measuring progress. Stakeholder engagement, case studies, and global dissemination of results will further ensure the scalability and sustainability of these new approaches, as well as alignment with the 2030 Agenda.