Indicators of Sustainable Development

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Indicators of Sustainable Development
Birgitte Alvarez-Rivero Division for Sustainable
Development UN Department of Economic and Social
Affairs
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Mandate

• The CSD 3rd Session (1995) approves a Programme
  of Work on Indicators of Sustainable Development
• Main Objective
• A core list of indicators of sustainable
  development accessible to decision-makers at the
  national level by the year 2001. Achieved by
  defining them, elucidating their methodologies
  and providing training and other
  capacity-building activities, as relevant.

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WSSD CSD11

• JPOI par. 130 CSD11 par.13
• Encourage further work on indicators for
  sustainable development by countries at the
  national level, including integration of gender
  aspects, on a voluntary basis, in line with
  national conditions and priorities
• Reporting to the CSD guided by.effective use of
  indicators.. (CSD11 par. 14d)

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Contributing Organizations

• Other Organizations
• EUROSTAT OECD CIAT IUCN IISD IIASA
  RIVM NEF SCOPE WRI WWF The Wuppertal
  Institute

• DESA DHA UNFCCC UNICEF UNCTAC UNDP
  UNSO UNEP SBC UNU ECA ECLAC ESCAP
  ESCWA ECE HABITAT ILO FAO UNESCO WHO
  ITU WMO UNIDO World Bank IAEA

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Contributing Countries
Africa
Asia and the Pacific
Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa and Tunisia
China, Japan, Maldives, Pakistan and the
Philippines
Europe
North and Latin America and the Caribbean
Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland,
Germany, France, The United Kingdom, Switzerland
Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada Costa Rica,
Mexico, USA, Venezuela
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Indicators of Sustainable Development
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CSD Indicators of Sustainable DevelopmentGuidelin
es and Methodologies

• Core set of 58 indicators with flexible
  adaptation at the national level
• Description of themes and sub-themes
• Methodology sheet for each indicator by lead
  agency
• Guidelines for national implementation

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Framework
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Guidelines

• National Coordinating Mechanism Focal Point
• Gap analysis including a baseline assessment and
  priority selection through a consultative process
• Assessment of capacity-building needs
• Action Plan
• Dissemination strategy
• Periodic evaluation and re-assessment

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Challenges

• Lack of data and development capacity
• International harmonization efforts
• Further indicator development in less
  advancedsubstantive areas
• Training in integrated information management

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DSD focus

• DSD responding to challenges by
• Support for regional indicator networks
• Sustainable Development Information Management
  for SIDS in the Caribbean Region
• Country projects
• Disaster reduction indicators in the context of
  sustainable development with ISDR UNDP

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Training Activity

• In preparation
• Sub-regional training programme in the
  development and implementation of national
  strategies for sustainable development (NSDS),
  monitoring and evaluation
• Project components
• 1)NSDS preparation, 2) information management
  and, 3) national level indicator design

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Millennium Development Goals

• Adopted by the UN General Assemblyin 2000
• Commitment to a set of values and principles
• 8 Millennium Development Goals
• Indicators associated with goals to be reported
  on by member states

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Summary

• Progress has been made since Rio, but challenges
  remain
• Lack of data
• Harmonization
• Areas less advanced
• Training and capacity-building

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CSD Indicators Website
http//www.un.org/esa/sustdev