Measuring the Performance of Sustainable Development Goals

This article analyzes the extent to which Colombia’s departmental governments have integrated the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their 2024–2027 Territorial Development Plans (TDPs). While Colombia is internationally recognized for its commitment to sustainable development, this study reveals a significant gap between national discourse and subnational implementation. Drawing on a systematic review of all thirty-two departmental indicative plans and cross-referencing them with the official product catalog of the Adjusted General Methodology (AGM), the research develops a scoring model to measure SDG coverage and balance across social, economic, and environmental spheres. Findings show a disproportionate focus on infrastructure-related goals (especially SDG 9), with limited integration of structural dimensions such as inequality (SDG 10), circular economy (SDG 12), or climate action (SDG 13). Environmental goals remain the least represented, even in ecologically strategic regions like the Pacific coast and the Chocó biogeographic region. The results also indicate a fragmented planning logic, shaped by sectoral constraints, technical limitations, and a top-down localization approach that overlooks local agency. Despite national efforts to support territorial planning, institutional and conceptual weaknesses persist—often reinforced by misunderstandings of the SDG framework. This study highlights the need to rethink Colombia’s territorialization strategy, emphasizing systemic planning, local ownership, and citizen engagement. Further research is needed to evaluate SDG integration at the municipal level and to assess whether similar patterns of fragmentation and misalignment persist in local governance.