Evaluation of the Territorial Development Plans (2024–2027) of Selected Municipalities in Valle Del Cauca From the Perspective of the Grand Ambition

Abstract The predominant focus on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Territorial Development Plans (TDPs) has driven socio-economic progress but often fails to integrate planetary boundaries, compromising the Earth's capacity to dissipate entropy from human activities. Exceeding planetary boundaries weakens natural systems, diminishing their ability to support life-sustaining functions and making long-term sustainability unfeasible. This study evaluates the development plans (2024–2027) of 11 municipalities in the Valle del Cauca region—Buenaventura, Candelaria, Cartago, Florida, Guadalajara de Buga, Jamundí, Palmira, Pradera, Santiago de Cali, Tuluá, and Yumbo— examining SDG integration and their potential contributions or conflicts with planetary boundaries. The goal is to establish a baseline of SDG integration in local planning, assess their environmental impact, and propose strategies to align socio-economic development with planetary limits. The study involved a collaborative analysis with ProPacífico, measuring SDG contributions (targets 1.2, 2.1, 6.1, 6.2, 8.1, and 11.1) against planetary boundaries, including climate change, freshwater consumption, land-use change, and biogeochemical flows of N and P. Despite progress in SDG implementation, persistent unsustainable consumption and production patterns contribute to planetary boundary degradation, increasing entropy and compromising regional sustainability. To align with the Grand Ambition framework, territorial planning must incorporate biodiversity conservation, bioeconomy strategies, and nature-based solutions to enhance ecological resilience. This approach fosters ecological restoration, collaborative governance, environmental resilience, and climate adaptation, positioning sustainability as the core axis of development.