Help
The Leadership Council of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) launched the Action Agenda for Sustainable Development on 6 June 2013. The report maps out operational priorities for the post-2015 development agenda. It proposes 10 goals and 30 targets that might replace the Millennium Development Goals after their expiration in late 2015. Since then, the Thematic Groups of the SDSN have begun to devise an indicator framework for the post-2015 goal framework, which is described in this report.
This report outlines a possible indicator framework to accompany the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets. The report is organized as follows: The main report outlines the rationale and criteria for indicators, including suggestions for how the data might be collected. A first table summarizes the 100 proposed indicators. It is followed by a second table that outlines how indicators for crosscutting thematic issues, such as gender equality or sustainable consumption and production, are arranged across the goals. Annex 1 outlines suggested principles for setting goals, targets, and indicators, which will be made available as a stand-alone document. Annex 2 describes each Core Indicator in detail, lists suggested Tier 2 indicators, and shows how indicators work across goals. Finally, Annex 3 lists frequently asked questions that complement the FAQ in the Action Agenda.
Before turning to the specifics of indicators for the SDGs, it is useful to make a few overarching points. First, the suggestions in this report are in an early stage. We are looking for comments and creativity to improve and complete them. Second, because of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) process, the international public reporting on poverty-related indicators tends to be more developed than on other social and environmental indicators. In many cases, new indicators will have to be developed, together with information gathering systems, to cover new priorities. This will require major investments in national and international capacity to collect and synthesize data.
Third, in view of the novelty of many of these indicators, the SDSN proposes to work with international institutions during 2014 to discuss the development, relevance, accuracy, appropriateness, and realism of the recommended indicators. In some cases what we are suggesting will not be possible to implement in a timely and accurate manner. In other cases additional indicators may need to be considered. Decisions on what can actually be measured should be advised by the relevant expert communities, with the advice and leadership of the global institutions charged with oversight, measurement, standards, and implementation of programs. Fourth, the proposed indicator framework comprises a limited number of indicators to track the broad agenda of sustainable development. The SDSN will work with the World Subsequently, minor revisions to the targets have been published on the SDSN website. The report is available at www.unsdsn.org/resources.