Harmonizing development of sustainable development indicators at regional and global levels

Agenda 21 recommends that relevant organs and organizations of the United Nations system, in cooperation with other international governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, should use a suitable set of sustainable development indicators and indicators related to areas outside of national jurisdiction, such as the high seas, the upper atmosphere and outer space. The organs and organizations of the UN system, in coordination with other relevant international organizations, could provide recommendations for harmonized development of indicators at the national, regional and global levels, and for incorporation of a suitable set of these indicators in common, regularly updated and widely accessible reports and databases, for use at the international level, subject to national sovereignty considerations.

This strategy features in the framework of Agenda 21 as formulated at UNCED (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), now coordinated by the UN Commission on Sustainable Development and implemented through national and local authorities.

The countries pilot testing national indicators of sustainable development in support of the UNCSD programme on indicators find they need at least 50 indicators to cover the major dimensions of sustainability (Government of the Czech Republic 1998). The UNCSD study calls for economic, social, environmental and institutional indicators covering driving forces, states and responses across all the programme areas of Agenda 21, with 134 indicators identified in the first phase. These activities have made clear how many dimensions there are to development. They also highlight the need to develop clearer targets and goals, and new indicators for the less tangible aspects of development including individual welfare, community cohesion, institutional development, knowledge and culture.