Establishing a Knowledge Value Chain for Sustainable Spatial Planning and Urban Governance: Meeting the SDGs Through Technical Standards

Abstract

The relationship between standardization and scientific research has become increasingly collaborative. However, to ensure a coherent common vision and practice, targeted reflection and dialogue are necessary. This becomes critical to meet stakeholder demands and comply with the requirements of the EU Standardization Strategy, which enables standards to effectively support scientific projects in influencing society through informed policies. This contribution focuses on investigating and formalizing the connection between research innovation and standardization, with a specific emphasis on the ISO 371xx series. These standards offer a holistic and integrated approach to managing sustainable development in territories, providing a shared reference framework that facilitates the realization of community visions and the exchange of information among cities. The standards also raise awareness about the role of local communities in sustainable development and define smart city operational models, enabling the creation of action plans and the evaluation of spatial transformations. As a result, this contribution formalizes a comprehensive process to establish a robust and clear knowledge value chain, supporting local policymakers in promoting sustainable and resilient land management, spatial planning, and urban governance. The proposed integrative framework demonstrates its potential to contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through the proper development and implementation of standards.