The public sector has an indisputable role in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, the interrelated nature of the SDGs represents a challenge for the public sector, which has in the last few decades undergone a process of specialization, decentralization and fragmentation. Hence, the establishment of coordination mechanisms within the public sector are needed to ensure implementation. This article introduces an organizational perspective in a participative SDG prioritization process carried out by a public organization: the former Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Environment (MAPAMA). A case study methodology is used to identify internal collaboration needs in order to address the SDGs and to analyze the driving and restraining forces operating within the organization so that the required organizational changes can be initiated. Our findings reveal that the organizational perspective is key in supporting SDG implementation and boosting the transformative capacity that underpins the 2030 Agenda. Public organizations must combine different coordination approaches, according to the demands that each specific SDG target makes upon the organization. Furthermore, engaging internal agents in participative processes for the development of the implementation is essential to reproducing the dynamics of internal collaboration that will be needed in future stages of the adoption of the 2030 Agenda.

While the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have emerged as the preeminent sustainability framework across various spatial scopes, the reporting and assessment of new urban developments and regeneration projects often remain tethered to sustainability frameworks that lack direct alignment with SDG targets. This paper proposes a framework to integrate SDG reporting within urban regeneration initiatives. This approach leverages existing resources, such as the Joint Research Center’s (JRC) European Handbook for SDG Voluntary Local Report (VLR) and UN-Habitat’s Global Urban Monitoring Framework (UMF), to report potential contributions towards SDG progress. The framework is validated through the case study of Madrid Nuevo Norte (MNN), one of the largest urban regeneration projects currently developed in Europe, located in the northern district of the Spanish capital and encompasses the regeneration of a 3.2 million square meter area. The methodology evaluates MNN potential contributions through a set of indicators based on input–output/outcome–impact framework to track the causal pathways arising from MNN activities. This paper presents an analysis of the methodological framework developed for the MNN SDG report during the project-planning phase, with a focus on evaluating the framework’s capacity to accurately estimate the project’s contributions to the SDGs.

Droughts affect all socio-economic sectors and have negative impacts on the environment. Droughts are expected to increase in frequency and severity due to climate change, which makes their effective management a high priority for policy makers and water managers. Drought Management Plans (DMPs) are a key instrument to deal with droughts and help to prepare for them in a proactive way as a framework for coordinated action before and during droughts. The development of DMPs is still incipient worldwide and their assessment remains limited. In Spain, DMPs at a river basin level were first approved in 2007. Following the legal obligation set in Spanish law, those plans were revised after ten years and a new version was approved in 2018. A content analysis was developed for assessing the 2018 DMPs of eight river basins managed by their corresponding River Basin Authorities, which depend on the Spanish central government. The evaluation criteria were set using the extant scientific literature and official guidelines on drought preparedness and management. The analysis showed that some aspects of the DMPs are especially well-developed, e.g., the distinction between drought and water scarcity, the definition of thresholds to trigger different levels of drought and water scarcity alerts and actions for drought management and coordination. Other issues still need further improvement, especially those related to the analysis of drought impacts, the assessment of vulnerability and the ex-post evaluation of DPM performance.

Rural depopulation is related to several socio-economic variables, including services, transport, communication and employment, among others. This paper assesses the influence of irrigation systems as population fixers in rural municipalities. For this purpose, a national survey was carried out in which the inhabitants of rural municipalities were asked about relevant aspects of depopulation in relation to the presence of irrigation systems in the area. A questionnaire was drawn up, based on expert judgement, containing 45 questions with dichotomous and Likert type answers. The answers were analysed by studying the dependence of the answers on the presence of irrigation systems in the areas surveyed. The results show that rural dwellers are satisfied with life in rural areas, giving greater importance to health and education services, access to the Internet, job opportunities and transport. It is observed that irrigation is perceived as a positive element in both irrigated and non-irrigated municipalities.