UNDESA Survey on the Sustainable Development Goals

Transcription

UNDESA Survey on the
Sustainable Development Goals
Synthesis of responses from UN Member State Missions
January 2013
This report was prepared by Jeannet Lingán, Amy Cutter, Jack Cornforth and Farooq Ullah from Stakeholder
Forum for a Sustainable Future in association with Eela Dubey, and Felix Dodds, Associated Fellow of Tellus
Institute and independent consultant.
Introduction
In June 2012, the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) resulted in an
agreement by Member States to launch a process to develop a set of Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) that can be used to pursue focused and coherent action on sustainable development. The Rio+20
Outcome Document resolved to establish an inclusive and transparent intergovernmental process on
SDGs that is open to all stakeholders with a view to developing global SDGs to be agreed by the UN
General Assembly. The Outcome Document mandated the creation of an inter-governmental Open
Working Group (OWG), which will submit a report to the 68th session of the General Assembly
containing a proposal for SDGs for consideration and appropriate action.
As part of the on-going consultations on the SDGs and to feed into the work of the OWG, in October
2012, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), the secretariat of the Rio+20
Conference, distributed a questionnaire to national governments to elicit their views and suggestions on
some key principles and criteria for developing a proposal for the SDGs.
This report is a synthesis of the information provided in the submissions and intends to present the
findings of the questionnaire in a way that is accessible to all governments and stakeholders. The
information has been collated by country type and region with an aim to help identify key priorities.
Methodology
As of the 12th December 2012, 63 countries had completed the questionnaire, including 27 European
Union (EU) Members who submitted a joint response as the European Union (EU). 1 We have analysed
the submissions of 61 countries (this number includes the 27 members of the EU) and excluded the
individual submissions of Poland and Slovakia, who are counted as part of the EU submission.
The 61 country delegations that submitted the survey represent 32% of the total (193) of UN member
states. This is a limitation to the utility of the analysis. However, it is still useful for gauging some current
trends in perspectives on the SDGs.
For the analysis of the answers we have divided the country submissions broadly into developed and
developing country categories and into regions.
Developing countries have been divided into:
MENA: Middle East and North Africa
Africa: Sub-Saharan Africa
LAC: Latin America and the Caribbean
Asia: includes Asia-Pacific, South Asia, South East Asia, Western Asia, East Asia
1
The full country submissions can be found on the new Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform:
http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/
Table 1. Member state missions’ individual submissions
Developed
Developing
MENA
Africa
LAC
Asia
Australia
Algeria
Botswana
Colombia
Bhutan
Japan
Iraq
Central African Republic
Costa Rica
Brunei- Darussalam
Israel
Jordan
Chad
Haiti
Fiji
Norway
Lebanon
Comoros
Nicaragua
Mongolia
Switzerland
Syrian Arab Republic
Ghana
Panama
Nepal
EU (27 members)
United Arab Emirates (EUA)
Peru
Pakistan
Croatia
Republic of Korea
Montenegro*
Thailand
Republic of Moldova*
Turkey
*Considered in this grouping as per their connection with the EU.
Break down of Survey respondents
Summary of Findings
1. Sustainable Development Goals Priority Areas
The following table presents information of the thematic areas that country missions listed as their
priorities for SDGs (question 1 of survey). 36 country missions provided a list of priority areas. We have
ranked the thematic areas according to how often they were mentioned by country delegations on their
answer to this question. The European Union responded to the survey but has not answered this
question. In order to provide data for the EU we have used their official position at the Rio+20
Conference as a way to illustrate some of the thematic areas that are currently being explored.

The first and second columns break down question respondents into developing and developed
(survey respondents plus EU Rio+20 submission) countries.

The top ten priorities for these two groups share 7 areas:
-
Sustainable energy;
Food security;
Water and sanitation;
Gender equality;
Climate change;
Green economy; and
Biodiversity protection.

Additionally, developing countries ranked within their top ten: poverty alleviation (the highest
priority), education and employment; whereas developed countries included in their top ten:
desertification/land degradation, sustainable consumption and production, and oceans and marine
systems.

Overall, for developed and developing country missions the ten most commonly mentioned
thematic priorities are: sustainable energy, food security, water and sanitation, biodiversity
protection, desertification/land degradation, sustainable consumption and production, oceans and
marine systems, poverty eradication, gender equality and education. As we can see, there is a
diversity of priorities associated to the agenda of environment and development as well as the main
concerns for developed and developing countries.
Table 2. SDG Priority Areas for country missions (inc. EU Rio+20 submission)
SDG Priority Areas for
Ranking
Survey respondents from Developing
Countries
(26 countries)
SDG Priority Areas for survey
respondents from Developed Countries
inc. EU Rio+20 submission
(35 countries)
SDG Priority Areas
All survey respondents Inc. EU Rio+20
submission
(61 countries)
1
Poverty eradication/alleviation (58%)
Sustainable Energy/access to energy
(94%)
(77%)
2
(54%)
Food security/nutrition/agriculture
(91%)
(74%)
3
(50%)
Water and sanitation (91%)
4
Education (46%)
Protection of biodiversity/
ecosystems (83%)
ecosystems (62%)
5
Gender equality/Women
empowerment (42%)
Desertification/soil or land
degradation (80%)
degradation (56%)
6
Sustainable Consumption and
Production (80%)
Production (54%)
7
Climate change/carbon emissions
(35%)
Oceans/marine resources (77%)
8
Green economy/macroeconomic
stability/debt (35%)
empowerment (11%)
Gender equality/ Women
empowerment (41%)
9
ecosystems (35%)
(9%)
Poverty eradication/alleviation
(30%)
10
Employment (35%)
Green economy/macroeconomic
stability/debt (9%)
Education (23%)
11
Health (31%)
Poverty eradication/alleviation (9%)
Green economy/ macroeconomic
stability/debt (20%)
12
degradation (23%)
Urbanization/cities/slums (9%)
(20%)
13
Risk/disaster reduction (19%)
Health (6%)
Employment* (16%)
14
Production (19%)
Education (6%)
Health (16%)
15
Peace and security (12%)
16
Children and youth (12%)
Population (6%)
17
Employment (3%)
Population (7%)
18
19
Transportation (8%)
20
Governance (8%)
Transportation (3%)
Transportation (5%)
21
Social protection (8%)
Governance (3%)
Governance (5%)
22
Population (8%)
2. Balancing the economic, social and environmental pillars of sustainable development
One of the main expectations around the SDGs is that they can adequately address the integration
of the three dimensions of sustainable development. This multiple choice question asked missions
how they think SDGs might balance the economic, social and environmental pillars, suggesting three
alternatives and inviting to provide additional options if relevant.



84% of the 61 UN country missions who responded this question (including the 27 EU countries)
agree that the goals should ‘reflect the social, economic and environmental dimensions within each
SDG’.
This is closely followed by the expectation that this framework should ‘integrate the Millennium
Development Goals framework post-2015’ (74% overall). This could express an agreement that SDGs
should be a comprehensive framework that holistically approaches poverty eradication as well as
environmental degradation/concerns (sustainable development).
There is less consensus in the ‘expansion of MDG7 (environmental sustainability)’ (13% overall);
which could suggest that SDGs are not seen as only related to environmental issues.
3. Expected key uses of SDGs for member states
This question asked delegations about the expected use of an SDG framework for their country. Six
proposed uses were suggested as well as the alternative to express other options.



70% overall of the 61 country missions agreed that ‘helping to balance economic, social and
environmental pillars in policy making’ is considered an important use of the SDGs; followed by the
opinion (59% overall) that the SDG framework will help them to ‘review the impact of national
policies’.
In the developing countries group, 83% of Latin American and Caribbean missions expect that SDGs
would allow them to ‘address key pressures leading to unsustainability’; 56% of Asian missions
expect that SDGs would help in ‘guiding development cooperation’; whereas 60% of African
missions and 50% of MENA country missions expect SDGs to help them balance ‘to balance
economic, social and environmental pillars in policy making’ together with influencing national
budget allocations.
Overall, the developing countries rated using the SDGs in ‘helping balance the three dimensions of
sustainable development in policy making’ and ‘influencing national budget allocations highest
(86%).
4. Balancing universality and national context in an SDG Framework
This open-ended question asked UN missions to provide suggestions on how a universal framework
can be relevant for the different national contexts. As it is known, countries agreed on the Rio+20
outcome document that SDGs would be universal. The UN post-2015 Development Agenda process
has also expressed that discussions on the new framework will aspire to a global commitment of
both developed and developing countries.



Despite the strong call for universality, the main expectation of country delegations is that SDGs
should ‘have flexibility/accounting for regional/national contexts in terms of capacities and
priorities/targets and indicators’ (75% overall). In contrast, Member States felt less strongly that
the SDG should be ‘global/universal in scope’ (11% overall). However, it is important to note
that these two options are not necessarily mutually exclusive given the principle of Common
but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) which means that while the SDGs could apply to all
countries, there could be different targets based on national contexts. See Question 5 below for
further details on the CBDR principle.
For country missions in the Latin American and Caribbean region, SDGs should also be ‘holistic
and crosscutting in content and scope’ (probably another way to emphasise the integration of
the sustainable development dimensions) (50%)
The ‘involvement/engagement of stakeholders’ was also another characteristic that was
mentioned by Latin America and the Caribbean (33%) and Asia missions (22%). This is
considered important in order to build ownership and legitimacy at global level.
5. Universality and SDG targets
This question is related to the previous one and enquires specifically on how targets can address
universality and acknowledging at the same time country specificity.

There are high levels of agreement amongst all Member States that SDG targets should be
‘common but differentiated depending on country characteristics and level of development’
(77% overall). For developing countries it is also important to pay attention to national
capacities and their own development priorities (31%). In this regard, it would be important to
generate national dialogue and ownership by national development actors so as to ensure
ownership and effective implementation.
6. Existing goals and targets that can be incorporated into a proposal for sustainable
development goals
There are several international agreements and current discussions where key thematic areas have been
proposed. Most of the respondents to this question addressed this issue with regards to thematic areas
but did not specify targets.



For the group of developed countries, the most important idea is the need to ‘improve the
effectiveness (qualitative aspects) and the environmental aspects of existing targets and goals’
(89%). Alongside focusing on goals associated with ‘MDG1: eradicate poverty’ (77%) and MDG7:
‘ensuring environmental sustainability’ (77%).
For developing countries, responses are more varied and built upon progress on the MDGs. For
example, ‘MDG1: eradicate poverty’ came highest (31%), followed by previous environmentally
related agreements such as ‘Agenda 21 and the Rio principles’ (27%).
Overall, 61% of country missions agree that it is important to ‘improve the effectiveness
(qualitative aspects) and the environmental aspects of existing targets and goals’; 57% think that
MDG1: eradicate poverty’ (77%) and MDG7: ‘ensuring environmental sustainability’ (77%) can be
incorporated into a proposal for Sustainable Development Goals. These answers seem to suggest
that an SDG framework is already associated with different dimensions of sustainable development
as expressed in previous answers.
7. Coherence and integration within the Post-2015 process
The SDGs process has been agreed after the Post 2015 Development Agenda discussion was already
in motion. This has triggered many questions as to how or if the two processes should converge.


Overall, 54% considers that the ‘coordination of the advisory bodies and of the UN processes’Post-2015 and SDGs- could be one of the steps to be taken to ensure convergence; this is
followed by the idea that ‘identifying the common elements of the major outcomes of the
processes’ (44% overall) would also help this convergence. This trend is entirely driven by
developed country participants, since developing countries did not include this particular option
in their more diverse (and fragmented) responses.
Developing countries express that a key enabler for the coherence and integration of the post2015 development agenda is ensuring that a ‘thorough, consultative and participatory process
is in place’ (35%). This view is prominent in the responses of African (60%) and MENA (50%)
missions.
8. How should assessments of progress toward the achievement of the SDGs be carried
out at the global level?
One of the most important expectations for a future global framework is that it should provide a
tool to measure global and national progress in a harmonised and transparent way.





Survey respondents have expressed some ideas on how this could be carried out, although no
single approach is favoured. Furthermore, 11 missions (18%) did not answer this question.
Overall, 56% of country missions who responded this question consider that having a ‘sound
monitoring system’, for example, working with experts and ensuring mutual accountability is
important to assess progress. This is strongly supported by developed countries (83%) and at
some extent by MENA missions (33%).
19% of developing country respondents think that the ‘assessment of progress should be made
at global, regional and national level’ and that ‘reporting should be overseen by a commission’
Asia countries responded that progress should be assessed by ‘consulting UN agencies for
reporting mechanisms’ (44%).
Africa responded that ‘a commission should oversee progress reporting’ (40%).
9. Stakeholder Participation in the SDG process
The achievement of SDGs will need a concerted effort from governments and stakeholders at national
and international level. In order to inform the agreement of priority areas, targets and indicators, as well
as build ownership towards the implementation of the goals, the participation of stakeholders is a key
aspect.

The majority of survey respondents agree that a measure to make the SDG process participatory for
civil society is by ‘organising international, regional and national consultations with stakeholders’
(66% overall). Ensuring transparency and accessibility of information through web platforms was the
second most recurring proposal to strengthen stakeholder participation (59% overall).

The above measures are also prominently highlighted by developed countries overall (83% and 80%
respectively); the Latin American and Caribbean missions (83% and 50% respectively), and Asian
missions (67% and 44% respectively).

The MENA countries responded that ‘cooperate with civil society and strengthen dialogue’ would
aid stakeholder engagement (67%).

Cooperation with civil society (especially in the MENA region) and the reference to major groups
was explicitly proposed by some countries, although, we could infer that their participation is
integrated in the call for broad stakeholder participation.
10. Principles underpinning the development of the SDGs?
The identification and definition of core principles is an essential starting point for deliberation and
agreement on the thematic areas and processes that will define the SDGs framework. As the
foundations which will underpin the framework, these normative principles must be ambitious and
aspirational.



Overall, there are three principles that most survey respondents have identified: equity and
equality (77% overall), environmental sustainability (72% overall), and human rights (69%
overall).
For developing countries, these three principles are followed in importance by peace and
security (23%), and ‘common but differentiated responsibilities’ and ‘existing principles, goals
and targets’ (15%).
In addition, for developed countries, similarly important are good/democratic governance (86%)
and ‘common but differentiated responsibilities’ (77%). This latter has been most clearly
identified in previous questions as one of the key characteristics that an SDG framework should
take into account.
11. A new Global Partnership for Development
The delivery and implementation of SDGs will likely need the involvement of different sectors and
development actors such as governments, civil society, private sector, and intergovernmental
organisations.


Many countries did not respond to this question, especially within the developed countries
group. However, those who did answer propose that partnerships are ‘built on existing
commitments/coventions/frameworks’: 20% overall and 35% of developing countries.
Moreover, 50% of Latin American and Caribbean and 50% of MENA respondents also agree
with this proposal.
Respondents from Asia thought that a global partnership should be ‘built within the SDGs’
(33%); while MENA responded that SDGs should ‘focus on mechanisms for the
transfer/sharing of knowledge/technology/skills/best practice’ (33%).
Conclusions
Priorities for thematic areas SDGs should focus on for both developing and developed country
respondents were: sustainable energy; food security; water and sanitation; gender equality; climate
change; green economy; and biodiversity protection. It is important to note that the developing country
inputs to this question were largely made up of the EU’s joint position on SDGs at Rio+20, meaning that
the results for this grouping are very EU-heavy, whilst it is also difficult to ascertain where each
individual EU country stands on the issue. Regarding the principles which should underpin the
development of the SDGs, three in particular were of central importance to most respondents: equity
and equality, environmental sustainability, and human rights. The vast majority of developed countries
also saw good/democratic governance as a key principle.
There was strong agreement from respondents that the SDGs should reflect the social, economic and
environmental dimensions within each Goal, with the SDGs deemed very important to help countries
balance these dimensions in national policy making and review the impact of these policies. There was
also a strong majority for the SDGs framework being integrated with the Millennium Development Goals
framework post-2015. However there was less agreement on how this should be achieved, with over
half of the respondents considering the coordination of the advisory bodies and of the UN processes on
post-2015 and SDGs to be one desirable solution. Identifying the common elements of the major
outcomes of the processes was another relatively popular choice, however this was only selected by
developed countries.
Most respondents stated that the universality issue should be addressed by the SDGs being flexible/
accounting for regional/national contexts in terms of capacities and priorities/targets and indicators,
with the principle CBDR to be used to create different country targets based on national contexts.
Ensuring environmental stability and eradication of poverty were the two most popular individual
existing targets respondents though should be incorporated into a proposal for SDGs, further suggesting
a desire for an integrated framework. Similarly, a similar number of participants believed that all existing
targets and goals with improvement in their effectiveness and environmental aspects should be
included post-2015.
Regarding assessment of progress towards meeting SDGs, having a sound monitoring system, working
with experts and ensuring mutual accountability, was strongly backed by develop countries but
responses were far more mixed from the developing nations. Inclusivity and participation in the process
of developing a proposal for SDGs was believed to be best achieved by ensuring access to information
on the negotiations, as was holding international, regional and national consultations with stakeholders.
Answers regarding how best to achieve a Global Partnership were in general mixed, however there was
a trend for these efforts to build upon existing commitments, conventions and frameworks.
It is important to reiterate that this questionnaire was only responded to by less than one third of UN
Member States, making it difficult to gauge truly global trends in attitudes towards SDGs. In particular,
the survey was not completed by any of the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South
Africa), which collectively account for a large proportion of the global population and economy, meaning
that they are likely to be important players in SDGs discussions.
COUNTRY
Algeria
Costa Rica
Lebanon
x
Botswana
BruneiDarussalam
Chad
x
Colombia
x
Comoros
Israel
x
Japan
x
Jordan
x
x
x
Ghana
x
x
Haiti
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Croatia
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Fiji
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Iraq
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Social protection
governance
Transportation
Oceans/marine resources
Children and youth
Peace and security
Population/
demography
Urbanization/cities
/slums
Sustainable Consumption
and Production
Desertification/soild or land
degradation
Risk/disaster reduction
Employment
Health
Green economy/Green
growth/
macroeconomic
Climate change/carbon
emissions
Education
Water and Sanitation
Food security/nutrition/
agriculture
Poverty
eradication/alleviation
Sustainable Energy/access
to energy
ANNEX 1. PRIORITY AREAS FOR SURVEY RESPONDENTS
x
Australia
Bhutan
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Republic of
Korea
Republic of
Moldova
Switzerland
Syrian Arab
Republic
Thailand
UAE
Mongolia
Peru
Turkey
x
x
x
x
x
Montenegro
x
x
Nepal
x
x
Nicaragua
x
x
Norway
x
Pakistan
x
x
x
Panama
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Social protection
governance
Transportation
Oceans/marine resources
Children and youth
Peace and security
Population/
demography
Urbanization/cities
/slums
Sustainable Consumption
and Production
Desertification/soild or land
degradation
Risk/disaster reduction
x
Employment
Health
Green economy/Green
growth/
macroeconomic
Climate change/carbon
emissions
Education
Water and Sanitation
Food security/nutrition/
agriculture
Poverty
eradication/alleviation
Sustainable Energy/access
to energy
COUNTRY
ANNEX 2. EUROPEAN COMMISSION NON-PAPER RIO+20 FOR THE INFORMAL ENVIRONMENT COUNCIL 19 APRIL 2012
THEMATIC AREAS GOALS
TARGETS
Water
Target 1: By 2030 significantly improve access to safe drinking water and to basic sanitation, as
necessary to protect human health and the environment, with the ultimate objective of achieving
universal access.
Ensure universal access to
drinking water and
sanitation, and sustainable
water use through
integrated water resource
management and
increased resource
efficiency.
Target 2: By 2030 significantly improve the implementation of integrated water resource
management, with the aim to promote water resource allocation among competing uses in a resource
efficient way that balances the satisfaction of basic human needs and the requirement of preserving
ecosystems, their functions and the services they provide, while controlling pollution to achieve good
water status.
Target 3: By 2030 significantly improve water efficiency globally through the setting of targets and the
development water efficiency plans, with the aim of significantly decreasing the number of river
basins that are water stressed, according to the Water Exploitation Index
Target 1: By 2020 marine ecosystems are healthy and resilient. Marine biodiversity is maintained, and
habitats and species are protected and restored.
Oceans and
Marine
Environment
Goal: Ensure Healthy
Oceans and Marine
Environments by
Target 2: By 2020 illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing is eliminated.
protecting and restoring
the health of marine
Target 3: By 2025 halve the levels of marine litter compared to 2012.
ecosystems, and ensure
sustainable economic
activities, in particular by
ensuring that all fish
populations are maintained
within safe biological limits,
enabling their sustainable
use for present and future
generations.
Sustainable Land
Goal: Restore land and soil
Target 1: Arrive at zero net rate of land and soil degradation within internationally agreed timeframe.
Management and
Ecosystems
Sustainable Energy
quality to good conditions
and manage land and soil
resources sustainably
ensuring that food
production can meet
growing demand, and
ensure that, in line with the
CBD's Strategic Plan vision,
biodiversity is valued,
conserved, restored and
wisely used and that
ecosystem services are
maintained.
By 2030 to provide
sustainable energy for all.
Target 2: Take effective and urgent action to halt the loss of biodiversity in order to ensure that by
2020 ecosystems are resilient and continue to provide essential services, thereby securing the planet's
variety of life, and contributing to human well-being, and poverty eradication.
Target 3: By 2020, increase public and private investment in sustainable agriculture and agri-food
chains and ensure that sustainable agriculture and agro-forestry systems are fully integrated in
national agriculture policies, in poverty-reduction strategies, in research and innovation planning, and
in investment decisions.
Target 4: As agriculture is a main contributor of achieving food security in the long term, by 2030
achieve an increase of global agricultural productivity, based on sustainable agriculture, with specific
targets at regional level.
Target 5: By 2020, achieve an increase of access of smallholder farmers, especially women in rural
areas to agricultural credits, training, capacity building, knowledge transfer and innovative practices.
Three interlinked Global Targets to be met by 2030:
Target 1: Achieve universal access to modern energy services.
Target 2: Double the rate of improvement in energy efficiency.
Resource
Efficiency, in
particular waste
Ensure the sustainable
management of all
resources over their lifecycle and eventually reach
absolute decoupling of
growth from resource use.
Target 3: Double the share of Renewable Energy sources in the global energy mix.
Target 1: Significantly improve resource productivity, measured by the ratio of GDP to Domestic
Material Consumption or other internationally agreed relevant indicators
Target 2: Increase prevention, reuse, recycling and energy recovery from waste, elimination of landfill
and a decline of the amount of waste generated per capita, so that by 2030 the majority of waste
globally is managed as a resource. By 2030 the level of landfilling should be significantly reduced.
Target 3: By 2030 halve the amounts of edible food waste31
Target 4: By 2020 ensure the sound management of chemicals throughout their life cycle, so that
chemicals are used and produced in ways that lead to the minimisation of significant adverse effects
on human health and the environment. (Follows from the JPOI target, chapter III, 23).

UNDESA Survey on the Sustainable Development Goals

Transcription

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