1. SDGs and climate change related statistics
Expert Forum for producers and users of climate change related statistics (2-3 September 2015, Geneva)
Tiina Luige, UNECE Statistical Division

2. Process of establishing SDGs and indicators (1)
Outcome document from Rio+20 Conference in 2012 “The future we want”
Initiating a process to set up Sustainable Development Goals
Recognizing that the process has to be assessed by targets and indicators, taking into account different national circumstances, capacities and level of development
Different groups to develop proposals, including on possible indicators
December 2014: General Assembly formally launches the process of intergovernmental negotiations on SDGs based on the proposal by the UN Secretary General’s Open Working Group
Co-facilitators of the intergovernmental negotiations on the Post Development Agenda (Ireland and Kenya) requested the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) to provide a provisional proposal for indicators for SDGs and targets
One of the main outcomes of the Rio+20 Conference was the agreement by Member States to launch a process to develop a set of SDGs, building upon MDGs
relevant text from the Rio+20 outcome document (paras ):
- We recognize that progress towards the achievement of the goals needs to be assessed by targets and indicators, while taking into account different national circumstances, capacities and levels of development.
We recognize that there is a need for global, integrated and scientifically based information on SD. We request the relevant bodies of the United Nations system, within their respective mandates, to support the regional economic commissions in collecting and compiling national inputs in order to inform this global effort.
three main initiatives:
(a) High-level Panel of Eminent Persons appointed by the UN Secretary General – calling for a data revolution;
(b) Intergovernmental Open Working Group (OWG) of countries – preparing a draft list of goals and targets;
(c) United Nations system Task Team on the post-2015 development agenda – building on experience with MDGs;
(d) Wide public consultation;
(e) Secretary-General’s Independent Expert Advisory Group on a Data Revolution for Sustainable Development – report “A world that counts”
3 different indicator lists being circulated for comments:
by UN Statistical Commission Friends of the Chair group on broader measures of progress;
by a UN system Task Team (basically the network of international organizations involved in MDGs)
Sustainable Development Solutions Network (led by Jeffrey Sachs, academia, civil society and private sector)
In addition, special consultations on specific Goals, like 16 (peaceful and inclusive societies) and 17 (means of implementation)
You may have seen and heard the different initiatives, been part of any of these processes and commented on the indicators
SG’s synthesis report from end 2014
HLP recommends establishing a global partnership for development data
In December 2014, the General Assembly launched the process for the negotiations on the Post-2015 Development Agenda based on the proposal by the Open Working Group on SDGs.

3. Process of establishing SDGs and indicators (2)
UNSC in March 2015 decided to establish two groups:
Interagency and Expert Group on SDG Indicators (IAEG-SDG)
Develop an indicator framework and a list of indicators for the monitoring of SDGs at the global level,
Provide support for the implementation of the indicator framework until 2030, review capacity building
Report on progress towards SDGs and targets
Country led process, 28 countries are members, all other countries and international organizations are observers
from UNECE region: Canada, France, Italy/Germany, Kyrgyzstan, the Netherlands, Russian Federation, Sweden and UK (ex-officio)
High-level group for Partnership, Coordination and Capacity- Building for post-2015 monitoring (HLG)
to establish global partnership for SD data – currently being set up
HLG for Partnership, Coordination and Capacity-Building for post-2015 monitoring
- to establish a global partnership for sustainable development data, will provide strategic leadership on the monitoring process; it will:
a. Provide strategic leadership in SDG statistical monitoring and reporting;
b. ensure consistency between national and global monitoring and reporting; promote national ownership;
c. Address the need of funding statistical capacity-building, developing proposals and advocating for resource mobilization
d. Advise on how data revolution opportunities can be used
e. Review and make recommendations on data infrastructures using new technologies;
f. Promote dialogue and partnerships between the statistical community and other stakeholders.

4. Current status of the process
First IAEG-SDG meeting on 1-2 June 2015 in New York
Electronic collaboration platform hosted by UNECE
user name and password sent to all IAEG-SDG members and observers
Updated indicator list for comments by all IAEG-SDG members and observers, deadline 7 September
list of indicator proposals, version of 11 August 2015
summaries of all comments received: by members, observers and civil society
FAO initiated preparing a consolidated input by the UN system
deadline 28 August 2015
focal points for comments on different goals
First IAEG-SDG meeting on 1-2 June, New York
Rocky start, different opinions, views of the policy makers different from statisticians
A first version of indicator list discussed in June, updated after the meeting (7 July version)
Comments from members, observers and civil society separately
Two discussion streams on cross-cutting issues:
Conceptual frameworks and indicator concepts and definitions
identification of interlinkages across goals and targets
Updated version of 11 August for comments by both members and observers, deadline 7 September

5. Next steps
UN Summit September 2015 to adopt the outcome document - final wording of goals and targets
“The Goals and targets will be followed-up and reviewed using a set of global indicators. These will be complemented by indicators at the regional and national levels”, indicators should address all SDGs and targets and preserve political balance (para 75 of the draft outcome document);
CES Recommendations on measuring sustainable development (2013) a good basis for regional indicators
2nd IAEG-SDG meeting on October 2015 in Bangkok
Review the list of possible global indicators
Discuss global indicator framework, interlinkages across targets and critical issues, including disaggregation
The list of indicators should be approved by the UN Statistical Commission in March 2016, and subsequently by ECOSOC and General Assembly
The list has to be ready by end November 2015
List of indicators may evolve until 2030
Outcome document: text agreed by all member States on 2 August
One of the worries of policymakers has been that it was very difficult to find a political agreement on the targets
For statisticians, 169 indicators is too much, need to reduce the number; policymakers concerned that this may mean prioritization of targets
From report of 1st IAEG meeting: Member States at the March meeting of the intergovernmental negotiations request that:
indicators must directly respond to the goals and targets and their level of ambition;
must not undermine or re-interpret the targets;
must cover all targets, including targets on means of implementation and give equal weight to all targets;
must maintain the balance achieved, and not introduce any new issues;
the number of global indicators should be limited and should include multi-purpose indicators that address several targets at the same time
The list of indicators will evolve until some indicators that are most fitting to measure the targets may not be available yet but may become available over the years

6. Climate change and SDG indicators (1)
Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
13.1: resilience to climate hazards and natural disasters
Number of deaths, missing people, injured, relocated or evacuated due to disasters per 100,000 people (Tier 2, source: national disaster loss databases).
13.2: integrate climate change into national policies and planning
Number of countries that have formally communicated the establishment of integrated low-carbon, climate-resilient, disaster risk reduction development strategies (e.g. a national adaptation plan process, national policies and measures to promote transition to environmentally-friendly substances and technologies) (Tier 2, source: secretariats for IMEAs)
13.3: education, awareness raising and capacities
Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning into primary, secondary and tertiary curricula (Tier 3, proposed by UNICEF)
a three tier system:
Tier 1 - an established methodology exists and data are already widely available;
Tier 2 - a methodology has been established but data are not easily available;
Tier 3 - an internationally agreed methodology has not yet been developed.
13.1 alternative proposals from UNEP, UNISDR, UN WOMEN, IUCN
13.2 alternative indicators from UNEP, UNICEF, UNISDR, UN WOMEN
13.3 alternative indicator by UNISDR
Comments from IAEG-SDG members and observers on these indicators: France asking for clarification on 13.3, Germany that indicator is limited

7. Climate change and SDG indicators (2)
Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts (cont.)
13.a: mobilise funds for developing countries, Green Climate Fund
Mobilized amount of USD per year starting in 2020 accountable towards the USD 100 billion commitment (Tier 1, proposed by UNFCCC)
13.b: raise capacity to deal with climate change in least developed countries and small island developing States
Number of LDCs that are receiving specialized support for mechanisms for raising capacities for effective climate change related planning and management, including focusing on women, youth, local and marginalized communities (Tier 3, proposed by OECD)
a three tier system:
Tier 1 - an established methodology exists and data are already widely available;
Tier 2 - a methodology has been established but data are not easily available;
Tier 3 - an internationally agreed methodology has not yet been developed.
13.A comments from Japan: that 100 billion commitment has not been agreed yet, civil society: does not start from 2020 but should be by 2020

8. Climate change and SDG indicators (3)
Goal 1. Poverty
1.5 Build resilience of poor and vulnerable to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters
Number of deaths, missing people, injured, relocated or evacuated due to disasters per 100,000 people (same indicator as for 13.1, Tier 2, source: national disaster loss databases)
Goal 2. Hunger
2.4 Sustainable food production and resilient agricultural practices that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change etc.
Percentage of agricultural area under sustainable agricultural practices (Tier 2, FAO proposal)
Other goals and targets where climate change is mentioned (there are goals that contribute to adaptation and mitigation of cc, like Goal 7 energy, target 9.1 on resilient infrastructure, but here focus on only the ones where climate issues are explicitly mentioned)
[a three tier system:
Tier 1 - an established methodology exists and data are already widely available;
Tier 2 - a methodology has been established but data are not easily available;
Tier 3 - an internationally agreed methodology has not yet been developed. ]
2.4 – Germany and India comment that the indicator needs to be clearly defined
Alternative indicator for 2.4 by FAO “Disaster damage and loss to agriculture”
FAO is developing an indicator ‘area under sustainable land management’ – close but not the same
2.4 – explanation of the indicator very messy: “At global level, currently there is no data available. However many countries record areas which are the object of practices contributing to environmental sustainability under various schemes (e.g. protected areas, or as part of a subsidies scheme or in a payment for environmental services scheme or as part of voluntary standards, public or private. Countries are also preparing, as part of national reports for the state of the world biodiversity for food and agriculture, statistics on practices contributing to biodiversity. Moreover, many countries are participating in internationally established strategic frameworks which promote the collection of data at country level. Hence, the data for computing the indicator should be collected through the records that are held in the process of the country participation to those schemes and strategies.”

9. Climate change and SDG indicators (4)
Goal 11. Cities and human settlements
Target 11.5 reduce number of deaths, people affected and economic losses caused by disasters
Number of deaths, missing people, injured, relocated or evacuated due to disasters per 100,000 people.(same as indicators for 1.5 and 13.1)
11.b cities implementing policies od mitigation and adaptation to climate change and resilience to disasters
Percentage of cities implementing risk reduction and resilience policies that include vulnerable and marginalized groups (tier 1, source: government data, OCHA, NGO sources, UNHCR, IOM and IDMC)
Other goals and targets, indirectly linked with climate change
Goal 7. Energy
Goal 9. Infrastructure, industrialization and innovation, Target 9.1 resilient infrastructure
Goal 14. Oceans, seas and marine ecosystems
Goal 15. Terrestrial ecosystems
Two observations:
none of these data come from statistical offices, or even from statistical systems
GHG emission data not included in any of the proposed indicators (there was an alternative indicator for 2.4 GHG emissions from agriculture, and 11.6 urban GHG emissions; 15.2 net forest emissions, or carbon stock in woody biomass)

10. Thank you!
Tiina Luige, Chief of Environment and Multi-domain Statistics Section,
UNECE Statistical Division
Contact: