Reframing urban sustainability indicators: a sufficiency-oriented analysis of SDG 11 in European voluntary local reviews

Abstract This article provides a critical analysis of the use of SDG 11 indicators in Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) across 30 European cities, with particular attention to their conceptual alignment with sufficiency approaches, which we extend to decommodification and democratization aspects. Drawing on a systematic evaluation of 384 VLR indicators, the study reveals considerable limitations in current monitoring practices, including pronounced selectivity, the absence of target values, and a neglect of key aspects for achieving sufficiency and a socio-ecological transformation. These findings underscore the need to reconsider existing indicators and incorporate approaches that align with planetary and societal boundaries, especially since the SDGs continue to serve as a central reference framework for local sustainability initiatives in Europe. Such a shift could foster sustainable urban development that attenuates the 2030 Agenda’s ecomodernist orientation.