class: center, middle, inverse, title-slide # Indicators: From the beginning to the SDGs ## Global Development Indicators ### José Antonio Ortega ### Global Studies, Universidad de Salamanca ### 2021-03-02
--- layout: true background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,#img/usal_en_hor.png) background-position: 95% 0% background-size: 15% --- class: inverse, center, middle # Origins of statistical monitoring and coordination  --- ## Origins of modern statistical systems .pull-left[ - The compilation of statistics gains impetu in the 18<sup>th</sup> century. - *National* and *Municipal Statistic Offices* setup in the 19<sup>th</sup> century, starting the publication of **Statistical Yearbooks** - Some examples: *Norway*, 1835; *UK*, 1854; *Spain*, 1858; *Argentina*, 1871; *US*, 1878; ... - Statistics came from administrative sources and regular population and housing censuses. ] .pull-right[   ] --- ## Origins of Statistical coordination .pull-left[ - From the 1850s, National statisticians coordinated: - 1853: **International Statistical Congress** - 1853-1876: 9 Congresses. Mixed results. - 1885: Founding of the **ISI** - The advent of international organizations gives rise to increased coordination: - **League of Nations** (interwar period) and other International Organization (*ILO*,pre-*FAO*) - **United Nations** after WW2: **UN Statistics Division**  ] .pull-right[  ] --- ## Origins of International Monitoring .pull-left[  ] .pull-right[  ] --- ## International Organizations monitoring .pull-left[ ] .pull-right[  - The *League of Nations* started to publish an [International Statistical Yearbook](https://wayback.archive-it.org/6321/20160901163315/http://digital.library.northwestern.edu/league/stat.html) - Continued by the [UN Statistics Division](https://unstats.un.org/unsd/publications/statistical-yearbook/past-issues/) until today ] --- class: inverse, center, middle # The Global Development Agenda  --- ##Roles of UN Statistics Division - The **UN Statistics Division** compiles statistics from National agencies. - Promotes [standards](https://unstats.un.org/unsd/iiss/History.aspx?Page=United-Nations-Statistics-Division-UNSD&Revision=00010) - Coordinates work with other IO, leading [CCSA](https://unstats.un.org/unsd/ccsa/) - Every year hosts the [UN Statistical Commission](https://unstats.un.org/unsd/statcom/) where countries define its mandate. ##UN in setting and monitoring development goals - Especially since the 1960s countries have adopted [goals](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/241759360_Global_Goals_-_the_UN_experience) monitored through the UN system - Example: Goals and Strategies adopted at [UN Population Conference 1994](https://www.unfpa.org/es/node/9061) are monitored annually through the [CPD](https://www.un.org/development/desa/pd/content/CPD) --- ## The Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) .center[] - Adopted in 2000 with horizon 2015. - The countries agreed on the goals, and commissioned the [IAEG on MDG indicators](https://millenniumindicators.un.org/unsd/mdg/Host.aspx?Content=IAEG.htm) to propose indicators, headed by **UNSD** --- ## The MDGs: A success story? ### YES - Radically transformed the Development Agenda - They were able to aglutinize development efforts. - Increased visibility, financing for development. - Progress in most goals, especially reduction of extreme poverty. - Highlighted the central roles of data and statistical capacity. ### NO - Goals applied only to developing countries - Targets heterogenous: Some absolute some in terms of progress... - Doomed to fail in lagging countries (*SSAfrica*) - They did not prioritize - Incomplete agenda, not in line with some of the new priorites (eg: climate change, ...) --- .center[ <iframe src="https://slides.ourworldindata.org/millennium-development-goals/" frameborder="0" height="576" width="768"> </iframe> ] .footnote[ [Source: Our world in data](https://slides.ourworldindata.org/millennium-development-goals/) ] --- class: inverse, center, middle  ---  - In 2015, *the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development* was adopted. - We have passed from 8 to 17 goals, from 21 targets to 169. - Similar to the MDGs, indicators for the targets have been operationalized by the [IAEG on SDG Indicators](https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/iaeg-sdgs) - Problems connected to the number of targets and the lack of operationalization. Initially indicators were classified as [green, yellow or grey](https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/files/meetings/iaeg-sdgs-meeting-02/Outcomes/Agenda%20Item%204%20-%20Review%20of%20proposed%20indicators%20-%202%20Nov%202015.pdf) according to data availability and agreement. - As of [today](https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/files/Tier%20Classification%20of%20SDG%20Indicators_28%20Dec%202020_web.pdf): 231 unique indicators for Global monitoring. ---  ## Positive things - Emphasis on *leaving no one behind*. In terms of data: data has to look at special subgroups and subnational areas. - A more [bottom-up approach](https://doi.org/10.1111/reel.12150) - Extends also to Developed Countries, Corporations, ... [as partners](https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/partnerships/) ## Negative things - Too many goals not prioritized (see [here](https://www.copenhagenconsensus.com/post-2015-consensus), [here](https://www.niussp.org/article/the-united-nations-agenda-for-sustainable-developmentlagenda-des-nations-unies-pour-le-developpement-durable/)) - [Big talk, no substance](https://doi.org/10.1525/curh.2015.114.775.322) - Goals can be [contradictory](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332422285_The_contradiction_of_the_sustainable_development_goals_Growth_versus_ecology_on_a_finite_planet) - Data not available or major data gaps [UN World Data Forum](https://unstats.un.org/unsd/undataforum/index.html) --- ## SDG monitoring .pull-left[ ### Official .footnote[<https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/>] <iframe src="https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/" frameborder="0" height="460" width="460"> </iframe> ] .pull-right[ ### Unofficial .footnote[<https://sdg-tracker.org/>] <iframe src="https://sdg-tracker.org/" frameborder="0" height="460" width="460"> </iframe> ] --- class: inverse, center, middle # Conclusions --- .pull-left[ ### What did we learn? - **Global monitoring** and **statistical coordination** has a *long tradition*. - **Goal setting** as well. - However, the **MDGs** were unprecedented in the scale, - And the **SDGs** follow practice but in a more common setting. - **Data** plays a key role in the formulation, monitoring and appraisal of the Global Development Goals ] .pull-right[ ### Where are we headed for? - What makes an **indicator** good/bad? - How can indicators be meaningfully *combined*? - What are *good practices* in **Global monitoring**? - More technical issues: - Where does the data come from? - How are indicators derived? - **Let's implement them in practice** ] -- ## Thanks!