scholarly journals How Is Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals Measured? Comparing Four Approaches for the EU

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (18) ◽  
pp. 7675
Author(s):  
Guillaume Lafortune ◽  
Grayson Fuller ◽  
Guido Schmidt-Traub ◽  
Christian Kroll

Evidence-based policymaking must be rooted in sound data to inform policy priorities, budget allocations, and tracking of progress. This is especially true in the case of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as they provide the policy framework that all 193 UN member states have pledged to achieve by 2030. Good data and clear metrics are critical for each country to take stock of where it stands, devise pathways for achieving the goals, and track progress. Current assessments of the EU’s performance on the SDGs, however, tend to reach different findings and policy conclusions on where the priorities for further action lie, which can be confusing for researchers and policymakers. In order to demystify the drivers of such differences and make them transparent, this paper compares and contrasts the results obtained by four SDG monitoring approaches. We identify three main elements that are responsible for most of the differences: (i) the use of pre-defined targets for calculating baseline assessments and countries’ trajectories; (ii) the inclusion of measures that track not only domestic performance, but also the EU’s transboundary impacts on the rest of the world; and (iii) the use of non-official statistics to bridge data gaps, especially for biodiversity goals. This paper concludes that there is not one “correct” way of providing an assessment of whether the EU and EU member states are on track to achieve the goals, but we illustrate how the different results are the outcomes of certain methodological choices. More “forward-looking” policy trackers are needed to assess implementation efforts on key SDG transformations.

2021 ◽  
pp. 9-28
Author(s):  
Wiesław Czyżowicz ◽  
Ewa Gwardzińska

The article describes the contribution of customs to the implementation of sustainable development goals included in the UN 2030 Agenda. The paper presents the historical outline of the sustainable development concept and explains how basic tasks performed by customs contribute to the achievement of these goals. World Customs Organization plays an important role in activities for sustainable development, especially its numerous political and practical initiatives, including international operations of customs services aimed at combating environmental crime. The article analyzes also the EU customs regulations and activities of the EU Member States’ customs services. The decisive role of customs in controlling the compliance with the sustainable development requirements related to international trade in goods as well as a need for wider cooperation with other control services and business is emphasized.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-67
Author(s):  
Rafael Leite Pinto

The EU asserts itself as a leader when it comes to climate change policy. In this article, we analyze the EU’s environmental action regarding the 7th Environmental Action Programme 2020 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) 2030 set by the UN. We synthesise the successes and failures of the EU’s environmental policy in the fields of emissions reduction, circular economy, biodiversity, energy policy and agricultural policy, with the goal of understanding where the EU is lacking and what, therefore, needs stronger measures to reach international goals and avoid an environmental catastrophe. We conclude that the EU will not reach most environmental targets set for 2020 and in order to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, what changes need to be implemented to ensure stronger environmental measures.


Author(s):  
О.І. Савченко ◽  
Туран Угур

The main goal of this study is to show the performance of the indicators under 4 integrated main groups by using the multifactorial analysis methodology in the light of the selected indicators, by drawing attention to the integration of the energy network, which Ukraine has developed in line with the sustainable development goals, in the field of the energy economy, which has been planned with the European Union. Observing these performances is among the aims of the author’s research to draw attention to the importance of reform steps Ukraine has taken in line with its sustainable development goals and these reforms will be expected a positive impact on the country’s accession to the EU. 17 sustainable development goals developed by UNDP, where efficiency and innovation are imperative, focus on the improvement of countries and play a role in the formation of the indicators and groups of this study. According to the results of the study, it is observed that the indicators selected for Ukraine are linked to the data used in line with the country’s common goals with the EU and 2035 energy targets, as observed in the analysis results in integrated groups. The ambition of this study, which focuses on the development of Ukraine, is aimed by the author to offer an alternative and strategic perspective to small and medium-sized entrepreneurs (SMEs) in the energy sector.


Subject An assessment of the prospects for the SDGs Significance UN member states on September 25 ratified a new set of global benchmarks, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), following the expiry of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) this year. The 17 new goals, with 114 outcome targets, have already drawn criticism for being overly ambitious and lacking direction. Impacts The UN's Paris Climate Talks (COP21) later this year will be heavily influenced by the number of climate goals set out in the new SDGs. NGOs will alter policies to align with the SDG agenda, soliciting funds to broaden programmes beyond the MDG-focus of the last 15 years. Governments and NGOs will increasingly ask international businesses and financial institutions to collaborate on achieving the SDGs.


Author(s):  
Mangasini Atanasi Katundu

The MDGs have been criticised for being too narrow and leaving out many people and their needs, like mental health. Likewise, not all MDGs were implemented successfully in all countries. Some countries implemented one or two MDGs of their choice and left others untouched, others partially implemented all MDGs. It was on this basis that the UN member states met in Rio to frame the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, in order for the SDGs to address systemic challenges across economic, social, and ecological dimensions of sustainable development they require appropriate institutional support to effectively integrate them into institutions and practices, to coordinate activities, and to mobilize resources for implementation. Rising income inequality negatively impacts economic growth and is threatening sustainable development of East African Community (EAC) member states. Since, the SDGs are many, it is recommended that, East African Member states should adopt a targeted approach in implementing the SDGs and focus on the smallholder farming sector.


2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2(13)) ◽  
pp. 123-133
Author(s):  
Emília Huttmanová ◽  
Tomáš Valentiny ◽  
Roman Novotný

Sustainability ideas are implemented in almost all areas of life, not only into the economic and social life. However, the ways to sustainable development quantifying are still relatively complicated and incomplete. One of the possibilities of assessment and achievement of sustainable development and sustainability can be considered assessment using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) presented in Agenda 2030. The aim of the paper is to assess the similarity of the EU countries in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals according to 2030 Agenda.


Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 608
Author(s):  
Flora Bacopoulou

In September 2015, United Nations’ 193 member states signed up to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the global development agenda 2030 [...]


Author(s):  
José Miguel Rodríguez-Antón ◽  
Luis Rubio-Andrada ◽  
María Soledad Celemín-Pedroche ◽  
Soraya María Ruíz-Peñalver

AbstractThe European Union (EU) is trying to accelerate the transition from the current linear economy to a circular economy (CE). In fact, the CE is considered a tool to attain sustainable development goals (SDGs). In this sense, this paper aims at analysing the interaction between the CE and SDGs in the context of the new 2030 Agenda and the European CE strategy; thus contributing to the scarce empirical literature that links the potential of the European CE strategy to the achievement of the SDGs set by the 2030 Agenda. Three specific research questions have been formulated. First, could the objectives defined in the 2030 Agenda be considered homogeneous, and could they uniquely measure the concept of sustainability? Second, are there significant correlations between the implementation of a CE in the EU and the SDGs? Finally, is the behaviour of the 28 countries that make up the EU homogeneous in terms of the results of the initiatives aimed at the implementation of a CE? From these questions, nine hypotheses are put forward concerning the possible relationships between a CE implementation and the fulfilment of SDGs in the EU. Using a correlation analysis, an exploratory factor analysis, and a cluster analysis, it has been demonstrated that (a) SDGs do not univocally measure the concept of sustainability; (b) there are significant relationships between CE and SDGs in the EU; (c) the behaviour of these European countries is not homogeneous.


2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate Donald ◽  
Sally-Anne Way

On August 2, 2015, after three long years of intergovernmental negotiations and consultations and some tense final moments, all UN member states finally endorsed the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with a new set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2016. The question of accountability—or, more precisely, the question of how governments will be held to account for implementing the commitments made in this new agenda—was a critical point of contention throughout the negotiations, resulting in a significant watering down of initial proposals by the end of the process.


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