The sustainable development goals emphasize the need formulti-level governance to stimulate actions across many levelsand involving actors from multiple sectors. Cities and humansettlements are critical sites for implementation of theseuniversal objectives, indicating the need for local action thatserves global and local interests. This paper reviews recentliterature on this theme, illustrating challenges andopportunities influencing local action, with particular focus onmunicipalities. The partial implementation and limitedevaluation of previous initiatives such as Local Agenda 21 arehighlighted, suggesting past experiences offer insights intohow the SDGs may be implemented. The review suggestsresearch may support municipal action by illustrating how andin what ways municipalities can integrate the SDGs in strategy,policy and practice.