Global Indicator Framework – path to its adoption

According to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (A/RES/70/1), para 75, “The global indicator framework, to be developed by the Inter-Agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators, will be agreed by the Statistical Commission by March 2016 and adopted thereafter by the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly, in line with existing mandates.”...

During the UN DESA Division for Sustainable Development (DSD) update for Major Groups and other Stakeholders via web-x on 12 October (see below) a number CSOs asked questions about the global indicator framework and the process for its adoption and whether it would be discussed in the Second Committee.

Going back at its meeting in March, the Statistical Commission received the report of the Inter-Agency and Expert Group on the Sustainable Development Goals (IAEG-SDGs), including the proposed global indicator framework. According to its report , it “(d) Agreed, as a practical starting point, with the proposed global indicator framework for the goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as reflected in the list of indicators presented in annex IV of the report, subject to future technical refinement”. The Statistical Commission report was in turn noted by the ECOSOC at its second coordination and management meeting.

Insofar the ECOSOC report had already been discussed by the General Assembly, a specific question was asked as to the status of its report.

According to Joop Theunissen (DESA/OESCSC/PCB) the ECOSOC report was adopted by the GA last Monday 10 October, the President of the [ECOSOC] Ambassador Oh Joon, at the 2016 session presented the report to the GA, which contains all the outcomes of ECOSOC and all of its subsidiary bodies during the 2016 session. There was no comment from the GA it was over in 25 minutes and it was all agreed and gaveled without comment. The number of the report is: A/71/3. It’s on page 77of this report, which relates to the official report of the Commission, indeed adopted by the Council at its coordination and management meeting in June.” 

Insofar as the global indicator framework, as proposed by the IAEG, appears to been approved by the Statistical Commission; the ECOSOC at its coordination and management meeting; and the General Assembly, it can be assumed that it has been adopted. Insofar as it originated in a technical group (the IAEG-SDGs) and was included in the report of the Statistical Commission, which is also a technical body, it is correct procedure for it to be noted by the ECOSOC.

Next steps…

It will now be important to ensure that National Statistical Offices begin work on developing their national indicator frameworks, which can be used in follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda at the national level. The global indicator framework will be used, for example, in gathering data and measuring progress for the UN Secretary-General’s Sustainable Development Goals Report, but countries may also wish to use other indicators at the national level.  In addition, it will be important that baselines to be set for measuring progress.