UNITED
NATIONS
EP
UNEP/OzL.Pro.WG.1/33/INF/4
Distr.: General
21 June 2013
English only
United Nations
Environment
Programme
Open-ended Working Group of the Parties to
the Montreal Protocol on Substances that
Deplete the Ozone Layer
Thirty-third meeting
Bangkok, 24–28 June 2013
Embedding ozone protection in the sustainable development
agenda
Note by the Secretariat
The annex to the present note contains a report by the secretariat on embedding ozone
protection in the sustainable development agenda. It is presented as received, without formal editing.
K1352263
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Annex
Embedding ozone protection in the sustainable development agenda
Introduction
Major initiatives are under way to articulate a new agenda for development, including a set of
sustainable development goals. The purpose of this paper is to provide information and raise
awareness of international processes to define a sustainable development agenda, the importance of
goals, targets and indicators to sustainable development processes, and the relevance and inclusion of
stratospheric ozone protection in these processes.
By its very nature, sustainable development covers a vast array of issues. Articulated in 1987 by the
World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) as “development that meets the needs
of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”,
sustainable development was envisaged as having three interdependent ‘pillars’ – social, economic and
environmental. At the same time, WCED called for new ways to measure and assess progress. 1
Surprisingly, although means to do this have been tried and tested for a range of components, there is
up to now no single, universally accepted set of assessment metrics for sustainable development.
With renewed interest generated by the 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development and the
2015 deadline looming for the Millennium Development Goals, the international community is
gearing up to agreeing a new development agenda. There is already considerable consensus that the
framework should include goals, targets and indicators and, for the sake of current discussions, the
following definitions have been circulated. 2
Goal: expresses an ambitious, but specific, commitment. It can relate to a number of targets but should
be as specific as possible – laying out a single challenge or ambition.
Targets: Quantified sub-components that will contribute in a major way to the achievement of a goal.
Targets translate the ambition of goals into practical outcomes. They should always be measurable and
easy to understand.
Indicators: The exact metric by which you know if the target has been met. Multiple indicators are
often used to allow the target to be measured in several dimensions (e.g. by gender or geography).
Indicators can quantify and communicate complex information in a simple concise way, show trends
and progress over time, simplify reporting requirements and replace extensive data or descriptive
text.3,4
Embedding ozone protection in the sustainable development agenda
Directions were set at the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (the
Stockholm Conference) for very many critical pathways to explore and manage the environment
within the context of human development. For example, the Action Plan for the Human
Environment5recognized the importance of up-to-date scientific information, and of technology
transfer. It also contained a major section on the ‘identification and control of pollutants of broad
international significance’ recommending, inter alia, international programmes for assessing pollutant
sources, pathways, exposures and risks, long term monitoring of atmospheric constituents through
1United
Nations General Assembly (1987), Our Common Future. Report of the World Commission on
Environment and Development, Published as Annex to General Assembly document A/42/427 - Development and
International Co-operation: Environment. See http://www.un-documents.net/wced-ocf.htm
2High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda.A New Global Partnership:
Eradicate Poverty and Transform Economies through Sustainable Development. Report to the Secretary General.
Annex III: Goals, Targets and Indicators: using a common terminology.
http://www.un.org/sg/management/pdf/HLP_P2015_Report.pdf
3 E/CN.17/1995/18. Information for decision-making and Earthwatch. Report of the Secretary General. CSD.
4 Individual indicators can also be compiled into a single index or composite indicator, on the basis of an
underlying model of the multi-dimensional concept that is being measured. Such indicators are meant to present
complex data and trends in simplified form to policy makers. See UNCSD Rio 2012 Issues Brief Number 6:
Current Ideas on Sustainable Development Goals and Indicators at
http://www.uncsd2012.org/rio20issuesbriefs.html
5ee Report of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, Stockholm, 5-16 June 1972.
A/CONF.48/14/Rev.1
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programmes guided by the World Meteorological Organization, and coordinating international
cooperation for taking measures on pollution control.
Whilst stratospheric ozone was not singled out as an issue at Stockholm, recommendations such as
these may have smoothed the path for the subsequent timely establishment of an international process
to deal with this issue. From the early 1970s scientists were aware of the possibility that human actions
could deplete the ozone layer and the damaging effects on humans and the biosphere that could result.
They warned of the serious implications if manufactured chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and nitrogen
oxide emissions from aircraft continued unabated. Further research implicated additional ozonedepleting substances. Model-based assessments in the early 1980s suggested that serious depletion of
the ozone layer was likely by the mid 21st century. However, ground-based measurements from
stations in the Global Atmospheric Watch network actually detected severe destruction of
stratospheric ozone over Antarctica in the mid-1980s. The CFCs used as refrigerants, insulators,
cleaning agents and spray can propellants were identified as some of the most destructive agents. 1
The international community reacted promptly to this scientific evidence. The framework Vienna
Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer was adopted in 1985 with a legal regime, the
Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, adopted in 1987.2The number of
signatories rose rapidly after these dates and by September 2009 all 196 nations in the world were
Parties to the Convention and its Protocol.3
The Montreal Protocol has a clear and detailed compliance regime under which each party is required
to report to the Ozone Secretariat its annual production and consumption of ozone-depleting
substances (ODS). These data are used to measure ODS reductions against baseline data and therefore
assess whether countries are meeting their phase-out obligations and they also determine developing
country status. The quality of submitted data is reported to have improved over recent years.4
These data have been instrumental in enabling the implementation and impact of the Montreal
Protocol to be tracked against agreed goals and targets at both national and global levels and, taking
new scientific evidence into consideration, to determine whether overall adjustments are needed to the
Protocol. Using a simplified example to illustrate - the overall goal of the Vienna Convention is to
protect human health and the environment against adverse effects resulting from modifications of the
ozone layer. The Montreal Protocol sets overall targets for the recovery of the ozone layer, and
changes in the abundance of ozone-depleting gases in the atmosphere, and sets targets for individual
countries to phase-out the use of designated ODSs by a certain date. Indicators such as annual
consumption of ozone depleting substances, based on the data provided by countries, can then be used
to assess whether these targets will be met.
The goal/target/indicator framework is now a widely accepted tool for assessing and monitoring
progress towards sustainable development.
After the 1972 Stockholm Conference sustainable development awareness and governance expanded
considerably at local, national, regional and international levels.5The need for the integration of
economic development, natural resources management and protection and social equity was
introduced for the first time by the 1987 Brundtland Report Our Common Future and it became central
in framing the discussions at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, also known as the Earth Summit or Rio Conference).
Agenda 21 and the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, were both adopted by the 178
Governments at UNCED. The Rio Declaration established 27 compact principles intended to guide
sustainable development around the world. They promoted concepts such as the centrality of human
beings to the concerns of sustainable development (Principle 1), the importance of the environment for
current and future generations and its equal footing with development (Principles 3 and 4), the
1Protection
of the Atmosphere.Report of the Secretary General.CSD acting as a preparatory committee for the
World Summit on Sustainable Development, Organisational Session 30 April-2 May 2001. Document
E/CN.17/2001/PC/12. http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=E/CN.17/2001/PC/12&Lang=E
2further amendments and adjustments were made in 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, and
2008
3 Since then South Sudan has also become a Party. UNEP. 2012. Handbook for the Montreal Protocol on
Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. Nairobi. ISBN: 978-9966-20-009-9.
http://ozone.unep.org/Publications/MP_Handbook/MP-Handbook-2012.pdf.
4Bankobeza, G.M. 2005. Ozone Protection: the international legal regime. Eleven International Publishing. The
Netherlands. ISBN 90-77596-08-9
5 http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/intgovmental.html
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principle of common but differentiated responsibilities (Principle 7) and the two critical economic
principles of polluter pays (Principle 16) and the precautionary approach (Principle 15).1
Agenda 212 is a comprehensive plan of action for the 21 st Century to be taken globally, nationally and
locally by Governments, Major Groups and UN organizations in every area in which humans impact
on the environment. It describes a global partnership and balanced and integrated approach towards
sustainable development, setting out on a voluntary basis the rationale for action, objectives, activities
and means of implementation for numerous Programme Areas within 40 chapters. Chapter 9,
Protection of the Atmosphere, contains a specific Programme Area on preventing stratospheric ozone
depletion. Two objectives are listed – to realize the objectives of the Vienna Convention and its
Montreal Protocol and to develop strategies for mitigating adverse effects of increased ultraviolet
radiation at the Earth’s surface.
Agenda 21 also cited the need for evidence-based indicators of sustainable development to track
progress and support decision-making3 and called for a high-level Commission on Sustainable
Development(CSD) to monitor progress and ensure effective follow-up of Agenda 21.The CSD was
established in December 19924. From its inception, the Commission, with 53 Member States at any
one time, was highly participatory in structure, engaging a wide range of official stakeholders and
partners in its formal proceedings.
Several processes to identify appropriate indicators for Agenda 21 were initiated early on. An
Intergovernmental Working Group on the Advancement of Environmental Statistics prepared a paper
on Environmental Indicators for CSD3 in 1995. The ‘Consumption of ozone depleting substances’ was
suggested as one indicator for Chapter 95. By this time there were very many indicator development
initiatives underway at national, organizational and international levels. At the same CSD session a
broader UN process proposed a menu of Agenda 21 indicators, also including the ‘consumption of
ODS’ and proposed a further programme of work, including the development of methodology sheets
which could then be used voluntarily by member states as well as the CSD. 6 CSD3 approved the
programme of work on indicators put forward in this document. 7
The Division for Sustainable Development and the Statistics Division, both under the United Nations
Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), in close collaboration with experts from
international organisations and UN member states, subsequently developed a set of 134 national
indicators of sustainable development (CSD Indicators) and methodology sheets8 reflecting the issues
in Agenda 21 chapters.
Six indicators were identified for Chapter 9: Protection of the Atmosphere:
 Emissions of greenhouse gases (DF)
 Emissions of sulphur dioxides (DF)
 Emissions of nitrogen oxides (DF)
 Consumption of Ozone Depleting Substances (DF)
 Ambient concentration of pollutants in urban areas (S)
 Expenditure on air pollution abatement (R)
Driving Force (DF) indicators represent human activities, processes and patterns that impact on
sustainable development. State (S) indicators indicate the ‘state’ of sustainable development. Response
1United
Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Division for Sustainable Development
Review of implementation of Agenda 21 and the Rio Principles: Synthesis.January 2012
http://www.uncsd2012.org/content/documents/194Synthesis%20Agenda%2021%20and%20Rio%20principles.pd
f
2 http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/Agenda21.pdf
3 Agenda 21, Chapter 40: Information for Decision Making
4 Agenda 21, Chapter 38: International Institutional Arrangements
5 E/CN.17/1995/35. Advancement of Environmental Statistics.
http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=E/CN.17/1995/35%20&Lang=E
6 E/CN.17/1995/18. Information for decision-making and Earthwatch.Report of the Secretary General.CSD Third
Session. 11-28 April 1995. http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=E/CN.17/1995/18%20&Lang=E
7 E/CN.17/1995/36. Commission on Sustainable Development. Report on the Third Session 11-28 April 1995
http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=E/CN.17/1995/36&Lang=E
8 RIO 2012 Issues Brief No 6. UNCSD Secretariat
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(R) indicators indicate policy options and other responses to changes in the state of sustainable
development.1It should be noted that the required data for the ozone indicator were already available
for most countries due to their reporting obligations to the Ozone Secretariat under Article 7 of the
Montreal Protocol.
The CSD Indicators and their methodology were revised twice, in 2001 and 2006. Originally
developed on the basis of the pressure-state-response-model2the indicators were modified in 2006 to
reflect themes and sub-themes.
Progress on Agenda 21
Holding meetings every year from 1993, the CSD worked through huge numbers of descriptive reports
on Agenda 21 implementation. The Secretary-General’s report on Protection of the Atmosphere for the
fourth session of the CSD in 1996 (CSD4), for example, noted that “the Montreal Protocol with its
substantive amendments and adjustments is widely viewed as a landmark for international cooperation
and embodies many of the core principles of Agenda 21.” 3 It identified the process as a good example
of the precautionary principle in action, noted the marked decrease in overall production and
consumption of ODSs but also drew attention to the issue of illegal trade in CFCs and the continued
increase in CFC consumption in some countries. Considerable further details were provided in an
additional document.4 The following year, the Montreal Protocol again featured as a success story in
the report on overall progress in the five-years since UNCED.5
Further reviews of Chapter 9 featured in the CSD sessions held in 2001, when the CSD acted as a
preparatory committee for the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD)6, and in the
20067 and 20078 sessions, (CSD14 and 15) by which time the CSD was reviewing clusters of thematic
issues on a 2-year cycle evaluating progress during the first (Review) year end deciding on measures
to speed up implementation overcome obstacles and constraints in the second (Policy) year. On all
these occasions science-based information showed that the phase-out of ODS was on schedule, and
that the phase out would have positive impacts on reducing adverse human health impacts. At the
same time it was recognized that some issues remained to be addressed, such as ongoing illegal trade
in ODS, the significant global warming potential of some ODS alternatives, and the need for further
research into methyl bromide alternatives.
It is interesting that, having agreed to develop indicators to track the follow-up on Agenda 21,the CSD
never actually used them. A 2013 report of the Secretary General to the 67 th Session of the General
Assembly on Lessons learned from the Commission on Sustainable Development9 reiterates the
consultative process that resulted in the indicator set and its methodologies and concludes: “To some
extent this effort was successful as a number of countries compile data on these indicators for use in
1
United Nations. 1996. Indicators of Sustainable Development Framework and Methodologies. UN Commission
on Sustainable Development New York. ISBN 92-1-104470-7
2The Pressure-State-Response-model was developed by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD). It was first used in the organization’s preliminary set of environmental indicators in 1991.
It is based on the fact that humans exert pressures on the ecosystem and the society, which alter their state and call
for certain responses.
3 E/CN.17/1996/22. Protection of the Atmosphere.Report of the Secretary-General. CSD Fourth Session 18 April3 May 1996. http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=E/CN.17/1996/22&Lang=E
4E/CN.17/1996/22/Add.1
5
E/CN.17/1997/2. Overall progress achieved since the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development. Report of the Secretary General. CSD Fifth Session 7-25 April 1997.
http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=E/CN.17/1997/2&Lang=E
6E/CN.17/2001/PC/12 Protection of the Atmosphere.Report of the Secretary General.CSD acting as a preparatory
committee for the World Summit on Sustainable Development. Organizational Session, 30 April-2 May 2001.
http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=E/CN.17/2001/PC/12&Lang=E
7 E/CN.17/2006/3. Energy for sustainable development, industrial development, air pollution/atmosphere and
climate change: integrated review of progress in meeting the goals, targets and commitments of Agenda 21, the
Programme for Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on
Sustainable Development
http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=E/CN.17/2006/3&Lang=E
8 E/CN.17/2007/4. Policy options and possible actions to expedite implementation: air pollution/atmosphere
.Report of the Secretary General for the 15th session of CSD in 2007.
http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=E/CN.17/2007/4&Lang=E
9 A/67/757. Lessons learned from the Commission on Sustainable Development. Report of the Secretary General
to the 67th Session of the General Assembly, Agenda item 20(a)
http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/67/757&Lang=E
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decision-making processes. However, the lack of systematic monitoring and interaction between
national and international levels has hampered assessments of how effective national sustainable
development strategies and indicators have been in supporting the implementation of agreements on
sustainable development.” (paragraph 25).
Despite the brief and relatively superficial coverage of stratospheric ozone in CSD reports as
compared to the very comprehensive annual reviews by the Parties to the Vienna Convention and its
Montreal Protocol1 the fact that it was included as part of Agenda 21has undoubtedly raised awareness
of ozone and its related treaties amongst a much wider audience than would otherwise have been the
case. In addition, as part of Agenda 21, it was automatically considered early on as a sustainable
development issue, with social and economic dimensions. And although the indicator on consumption
of ODS was not explicitly reported to the CSD in the context of Agenda 21 it was adopted for use in
assessing progress in another highly visible international initiative, the Millennium Development
Goals.
Returning to the oversight of Agenda 21, member states met at a special session of UNGA in 1997 to
review progress over the five years since UNCED. Results were not encouraging and the
documentation records that “we are deeply concerned that the overall trends with respect to
sustainable development are worse today than they were in1992.” Member states then committed to
ensuring that the next comprehensive review of Agenda 21 in the year 2002 would demonstrate greater
measurable progress in achieving sustainable development and set out a Programme for the Further
Implementation of Agenda 21to achieve that goal.2
Following the decadal sequence of global environmental conferences that started in 1972, the World
Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) was held in Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
in September 2002.
The full implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and
the commitments to the Rio Principles, were strongly reaffirmed at WSSD as were commitments to
internationally agreed development goals. The mainstreaming of the three dimensions of sustainable
development in development policies was advanced at all levels through the adoption of the
Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI).3
The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) – also known asRio+20–
brought heads of state and high level representatives together in June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil.4Rio+20 was charged with securing renewed political commitment for sustainable development,
assessing progress and implementation gaps in meeting previously agreed commitments, and
addressing new and emerging challenges. In addition to receiving pledges for more than $500 billion
towards sustainable development initiatives5 UNCED resulted in an outcome document The Future
We Want, which was subsequently endorsed by the General Assembly in July 2012. 6
In the run-up to RIO+20 there was growing support for the elaboration of a new set of goals for
sustainable development. One of the main results of the Rio+20 Conference was the agreement by
member states to launch a process to develop a set of global Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs), which will build upon the Millennium Development Goals and converge with the post-2015
development agenda. The SDGs will be adopted by the General Assembly.
Millennium Development Goals and their indicators
In April 2000 the UN Secretary General presented his millennium report, We the Peoples: The role of
the United Nations in the 21stCentury, to the General Assembly.7255. The ozone layer received
prominence in the very first section of Part V of the report on ‘Sustaining our Future’, quote: “The
1
For COP and MOP reports see http://ozone.unep.org/new_site/en/committee_documents.php?committee_id=2
and http://ozone.unep.org/new_site/en/committee_documents.php?committee_id=1
2 A/RES/S-19/2 Resolution on the Programme for the Further Implementationof Agenda 21 adopted at the
nineteenth special session of the UN General Assembly in September 1997.
http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/spec/aress19-2.htm
3Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable
Development.http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/documents/WSSD_POI_PD/English/WSSD_PlanImpl.pdf
4see http://www.uncsd2012.org/rio20/
5see http://uncsd2012.org/rio20/voluntarycommitments.html
6 A/RES/66/288. The Future We Want. Resolution adopted by the 66th session of the UN General Assembly. The
Resolution annexes The Future We Want outcome document of the UNCSD held 20-22 June 2012.
http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/index.php?menu=1298
7http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2000/20000403.ga9704.doc.html
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natural environment performs for us, free of charge, basic services without which our species could
not survive. The ozone layer screens out ultraviolet rays from the sun that harm people, animals and
plants……But we are degrading, and in some cases destroying, the ability of the environment to
continue providing these life-sustaining services for us.” 1“Our goal must be to meet the economic
needs of the present without compromising the ability of the planet to provide for the needs of future
generations.”2“Perhaps the single most successful international environmental agreement to date has
been the Montreal Protocol, in which states accepted the need to phase out the use of ozone-depleting
substances”.3
In September of the same year189 member states of the United Nations participated in the
Millennium Summit and adopted the United Nations Millennium Declaration4. The Declaration
reaffirmed support for the principles of sustainable development including those set out in Agenda 21
and set out a series of commitments relating, inter alia, to development, poverty eradication and
protecting the environment. Many of these commitments were drawn from the agreements and
resolutions of world conferences and summits organized by the United Nations during the preceding
decade. Several of them articulated specific time-bound targets, mainly to be achieved by 2015. The
Declaration also recognized that success in meeting the objectives depended on good governance at
national and international level, as well as adequate funding, and called for a regular review of
progress by the General Assembly.
In 2001 the Secretary General published a Road Map towards the Implementation of the United
Nations Millennium Declaration5. Developed through consultations between experts from the United
Nations Secretariat and the International Monetary Fund, Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development and the World Bank the Road Map proposed a formulation of 8 Millennium
Development Goals, 18 targets and 48 indicators.
The Eight Millennium Development Goals
 Goal 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
 Goal 2. Achieve universal primary education
 Goal 3. Promote gender equality and empower women
 Goal 4. Reduce child mortality
 Goal 5. Improve maternal health
 Goal 6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
 Goal 7. Ensure environmental sustainability
 Goal 8. Develop a global partnership for development
Under Goal 7 there is a target to “Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country
policies and programmes and reverse the loss of environmental resources” (originally listed as Target
9, now Target 7A). This target, in common with the targets for Goal 8, but unlike all the other
Millennium Development Goal targets, is open ended – it has no quantitative specifications (time
frame or amount of change). Whilst recognizing that quantitative monitoring is easier for some targets
than for others and that good quality data are lacking for many countries, the lack of time bound
specifications makes determination of progress towards achieving targets and goals much more
subjective.
Regular reporting on progress at global and national levels was also part of the Road Map. One of the
indicators proposed for monitoring Target 9 in the Road Map makes a side reference to ozone
1
Kofi A. Annan. 2000. We the Peoples: the Role of the United Nations in the 21st Century. United Nations, New
York. Paragraph 255. http://www.un.org/millennium/sg/report/full.htm
2op.cit, paragraph 258
3op.cit. paragraph 261
4 Resolution A/RES/55/2 adopted by the General Assembly on 8 September 2000
http://www.un.org/millennium/declaration/ares552e.pdf
5 A/56/326United Nations (2001), Road Map towards the Implementation of the United Nations Millennium
Declaration, Report of the Secretary-General, A/56/326, 6 September 2001.
http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/sgreport2001.pdf?OpenElement
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depletion1 and a composite indicator “Carbon dioxide emissions per capita and consumption of ozonedepleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)” was subsequently agreed. 2 The goals, targets and indicators as
developed in 2001/2 were used until 2007 when the MDG monitoring framework was revised and the
consumption of ozone–depleting substances became a separate indicator (Indicator 7.3).
Methodologies for all current indicators are available in a handbook provided by the United Nations
Statistics Division (UNSD) of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs. 3
Progress towards Millennium Development Goals
The UN Secretary-General issues a yearly report on progress toward implementation of the
Millennium Declaration, including the MDGs, based on information from across the UN system. 4 The
UNSD provides access to the database containing the data series related to the selected indicators and
coordinates the data analysis and reporting. Data are drawn from national statistics provided by
Governments and compiled and analyzed by an Inter-Agency Expert Group on MDG Indicators.
In 2005 there was a comprehensive MDG review of progress during the first five years of the
millennium, which was available for the 2005 World Summit, a high-level plenary meeting held
during the 60th session of UNGA. The UN Millennium Declaration was reaffirmed by the summit and,
within a very broad agenda, the Outcome document5 restated member states’ resolve to meet
internationally agreed development goals (IDGs) and objectives, including those of the Millennium
Summit (the MDGs). The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) was designated as the principle
body for overseeing implementation of IDGs, including the MDGs.
Five years later another major review of MDG progress was carried out at a High-level Plenary
Meeting of the General Assembly on the Millennium Development Goals in September 2010.
Whilst welcoming the progress made since 2005 member states expressed deep concern that it was
falling far short of what is needed. In the outcome document Keeping the promise: united to achieve
the Millennium Development Goals they committed to accelerating progress and achieving the MDGs
by 2015, requested the Secretary General to make recommendations in his annual reports, for further
steps to advance the United Nations development agenda beyond 2015 and requested the President of
the sixty-eighth session of the General Assembly to organize a special event in 2013 to follow up on
efforts made.6 The UN General Assembly will hold the Special Event to follow up efforts made
towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals on 25 September 2013.7This will provide an
opportunity for leaders to take stock of progress on the MDGs, identify actions to complete the process
and identify remaining gaps.
All MDG progress reports to date (the latest report was issued in 2012) have included ozone.
Evidence-based data, and their graphical presentations, have shown year-on-year reductions in the
consumption of ODS and the expected recovery of the ozone layer has been a beacon of hope that,
with the right enabling environment, environmental sustainability could be achieved. Ozone headlines
in annual MDG reports have highlighted both positive changes in the chemistry of the atmosphere as
well as good governance under the Montreal Protocol. They include, inter alia, that ODS have been
drastically reduced (2005), limiting ODS is also helping to mitigate climate change (2008, 2010 and
2011), decisive and concerted action (2006), strong partnerships and sound national policies (2009)
have all contributed to protecting the ozone layer, the global effort is working (2007) and the
successful implementation of the Montreal Protocol clears the way for extending control to more
substances (2012).8
Indicator 28 reads “Carbon dioxide emissions (per capita)
(Plus two figures of global atmospheric pollution:
ozone depletion and the accumulation of global warming gases)”. It is noted that indicators for this goal are
subject to further refinement. http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/sgreport2001.pdf?OpenElement
2For the official list of MDG indicators prior to the 2007 revision
seehttp://mdgs.un.org/unsd/mdg/Host.aspx?Content=Indicators/OfficialList2003x.htm
3 The updated handbook on Indicators for Monitoring the Millennium Development Goals is available at
http://mdgs.un.org/unsd/mdg/Host.aspx?Content=Indicators/Handbook.htm with the ozone indicator at
http://mdgs.un.org/unsd/mi/wiki/7-3-Consumption-of-ozone-depleting-substances.ashx
4see http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/reports.shtml
5 Resolution A/RES/60/1 “2005 World Summit Outcome” adopted by the General Assembly on 16 September
2005 http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N05/487/60/PDF/N0548760.pdf?OpenElement
6A/65/L.1 Keeping the promise: united to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Outcome document of the
High-level Plenary Meeting of the sixty-fifth session of the General Assembly on the Millennium Development
Goals: September 2010. The document was adopted by the General Assembly on September 22, 2010.
https://www.un.org/en/mdg/summit2010/pdf/outcome_documentN1051260.pdf
7 http://www.un.org/en/ga/info/meetings/67schedule.shtml
8 http://mdgs.un.org/unsd/mdg/Host.aspx?Content=Products/ProgressReports.htm
1
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Not all MDG indicators have shown a similar pattern of success. For example, whilst the target of
reducing extreme poverty by half was reached five years ahead of the 2015 deadline, hunger remains a
global challenge (Goal 1). Whilst the enrollment of girls in primary schools has equaled that of boys
(Goal 3), ensuring that all children are able to complete primary education remains an unfulfilled
target (Goal 2). Whilst the MDG sanitation target is not expected to be reached, the target of halving
the proportion of people who lack dependable access to safe drinking water has already been met
(Goal 7).But even where there is success, efforts will need to continue well beyond 2015. For
example, partly due to continued population increase, projections indicate that more than600 million
people worldwide will still be using unimproved water sources in 2015, and almost one billion will
still be living on an income of less than $1.25 per day. Under Goal 7, global forest losses have slowed
but not reversed, biodiversity loss continues apace, around 30 per cent of global fish stocks are overexploited and greenhouse gas emissions continue to pose a major threat to people and ecosystems.1
In 2012, a United Nations System Task Team published lessons learned from the MDG process. 2 It
concluded that the MDGs have been an influential framework for global development cooperation
setting out a clearly defined agenda to improve human development, and provided a clear focus for
national policy efforts. It considers that target setting has proved useful in raising awareness, directing
resources and coordinating action. Articulating clear, simple, quantitative and easily communicable
targets has been very beneficial. The Task Team pointed out that the MDGs missed some important
development dimensions mentioned in the Millennium Declaration, such as governance, and also
stressed the importance of a very inclusive consultative process when such global initiatives are
established.
Looking more specifically at the state of the global environment in relation to a broad range of
internationally agreed goals, UNEP’s Global Environment Outlook process examined progress in
achieving 90 important goals from various multilateral environmental agreements and the MDGs. The
review concluded that only 4 of the goals showed significant progress, 40 showed some progress, 24
showed little to no progress, 7 showed further deterioration, 14 had insufficient data, and for one, it
was too soon to assess its status.3 Taking precautionary measures under the Montreal Protocol to
protect the stratospheric ozone layer was one of the four goals that showed significant progress. 4
Several factors seem to have played a key role in successfully meeting goals:
 Linkage of goals with specific and measurable targets
 Scientific consensus and support from the scientific community
 The availability of cost-effective solutions
 Leadership from international institutions.
Current processes underway to craft the future sustainable development
agenda
The outcome document of the 2010 MDG Summit requested the Secretary-General to initiate thinking
on the global development agenda beyond 2015. The outcome document of the 2012 Rio+20
Conference on Sustainable Development initiated an inclusive process to develop a set of sustainable
development goals. There is broad agreement that the two processes should be closely linked and
possibly converge in one global development agenda beyond 2015 with sustainable development at its
core. Work towards this new framework is open to all Member States with broad participation from
external stakeholders such as civil society organizations, the private sector, academia and scientists.
The United Nations system is playing a facilitating role and is supporting Member States by providing
evidence-based inputs, analytical thinking and field experience. The Secretary-General is providing
overall guidance and leadership.5
The two work streams, to develop a new set of SDGs and to determine the post-2015 development
agenda, are separately defined and have their own institutional arrangements. However, whilst
recognizing the two-track approach, the two processes are already sharing ideas and expectations.
1
http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/pdf/MDG%20Report%202012.pdf
http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/pdf/Post_2015_UNTTreport.pdf
3 UNEP. 2012. Measuring Progress: Environmental Goals and Gaps. United Nations Environment Programme,
Nairobi. ISBN: 978-92-807-3260-3. http://www.unep.org/geo/pdfs/geo5/Measuring_progress.pdf
4 The other three goals making significant progress were:removal of lead from fuel, increasing access to improved
water supplies, and boosting research to reduce pollution of the marine environment
5http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/
2
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Rio+20 follow-up process
Making institutional arrangements, Governments agreed that the SDGs should be developed through
an inclusive, transparent intergovernmental process open to all stakeholders. They agreed that an open
working group, comprised of 30 representatives nominated by Member States from the five United
Nations regional groups, should be constituted by the opening of the 67th session of the General
Assembly and submit a report to the 68th session (September 2013 – September 2014), containing a
proposal for sustainable development goals for consideration and appropriate action. The open
working group should fully involve relevant stakeholders and expertise from civil society, the
scientific community and the United Nations system in its work. The Secretary-General was asked to
provide technical support to the process, including through establishing an inter-agency technical
support team and expert panels.
An inter-agency Technical Support Team (TST) was subsequently established to support the open
working group, under the umbrella of the UN System Task Team (see the Post-2015 process below).
The TST is co-chaired by UN DESA and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and
brings together the expertise of over 40 UN entities. The TST provides technical support, including
analytical inputs, background material and expert panelists. An information platform shares UN
system knowledge with the open working group.
It was also decided to establish a process to prepare strategic options for sustainable development
financing and to establish a high-level political forum with universal membership to subsequently
replace the Commission on Sustainable Development. The purpose of the forum is to follow up on the
implementation of sustainable development, building on CSD strengths and experiences whilst
avoiding overlap with existing structures, bodies and entities. The President of the General Assembly
has appointed the Permanent Representatives of Brazil and Italy to lead the negotiation process so that
the first high-level forum can be convened at the start of the 68th session of the Assembly. 1
Since Rio+20 there has been intensive follow-up on the SDG process. At global level:
 The UNGA Second Committee convened a special event on 16 October 2012, on
“Conceptualizing a Set of Sustainable Development Goals” at UN Headquarters in New
York. The event served as an initial opportunity for participants to discuss how the SDGs can
build on the MDGs, and possible elements of the characteristics and architecture of the
SDGs.
 On 21 December 2012 the UNGA adopted resolution 67/203 calling for the Open Working
Group to report to the Assembly in the early part of its 68th session, preferably before the
first meeting of the High Level Political Forum on sustainable development.
 The Initial Input of the Secretary-General to the Open Working Group on Sustainable
Development Goals (Document A/67/634)2was released on 17 December 2012. The report,
compiled by the UN Technical Support Team (TST), synthesizes the input received from a
questionnaire sent to member states in September 2012. It includes views on: SDG principles,
characteristics and priority areas; balancing and integrating the economic, social and
environmental dimensions of sustainable development; framing the SDGs; use of SDGs at the
country level; incorporating existing goals and targets; ensuring coherence with the post-2015
development agenda; assessing progress; engaging all stakeholders.
 The Open Working Group of the General Assembly on Sustainable Development Goals
(OWG) was established on 22 January 2013 the General Assembly (Decision
67/555).3Participation in the 30-member working group is facilitated by a rotational
procedure within the regions.
1see
http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/index.php?menu=1556
A/67/634 Initial Input of the Secretary-General to the Open Working Group on Sustainable
Development Goals.http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/67/634&Lang=E
3UNGA decision 67/555 allocated the membership of the OWG to the five UN regional groups. According to the
annex to the decision: six seats are held by single countries(Benin, Congo, Ghana, Hungary, Kenya and
Tanzania); nine seats are held by pairs of countries (Bahamas/Barbados; Belarus/Serbia; Brazil/Nicaragua;
Bulgaria/Croatia; Colombia/Guatemala; Mexico/Peru; Montenegro/Slovenia; Poland/Romania; and
Zambia/Zimbabwe); fourteen seats are held by trios of countries(Argentina/Bolivia/Ecuador;
Australia/Netherlands/UK; Bangladesh/Republic of Korea/Saudi Arabia; Bhutan/Thailand/Viet Nam;
Canada/Israel/US; Denmark/Ireland/Norway; France/Germany/Switzerland; Italy/Spain/Turkey;
China/Indonesia/Kazakhstan; Cyprus/Singapore/United Arab Emirates; Guyana/Haiti/Trinidad and Tobago;
India/Pakistan/Sri Lanka; Iran/Japan/Nepal; and Nauru/Palau/Papua New Guinea); one seat is shared by four
2Document
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 The First Session of the OWG (OWG-1) took place on 14-15 March 2013 at UN
Headquarters in New York.1Two co-chairs were elected – the Permanent Representative of
Hungary and the Permanent Representative of Kenya. After dealing with organizational
matters the member states shared their initial views on the process and substance of the SDG
framework.
 An Expert Group Meeting on Science and Sustainable Development Goals took place
from 20-21 March 2013 at UN Headquarters in New York. 2 Organized jointly by UN DESA,
the International Council for Science and the International Social Science Council,
participants discussed the need to make science more accessible to policy-makers and the
general public, the importance of new forms of governance that can adequately address
scientific evidence and phenomena, as well as scientific innovation and capacity building in
developing countries.
 The Second Session of the OWG (OWG-2) was held in New York from 17-19 April.3
Discussions addressed conceptualizing the SDGs and the SDG process, as well as poverty
eradication. There was broad agreement that: the SDGs should build upon commitments
already made, and contribute to implementation of outcomes of all major summits in the
economic, social and environmental fields; while the SDGs should build on, learn from and
strengthen the MDGs the SDGs may call for a longer time horizon than the MDGs; poverty
eradication should be at the core of the SDG framework; global mechanisms should ensure
that we don’t exceed global limits (a number of speakers called for climate change tube a
central focus of the SDGs).Many also recognized the need to go beyond the limited concept
of GDP to include valuation of natural, social and human capital and incorporate
multidisciplinary science perspectives.
 The 2013 Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Integration Meeting was convened on
Monday, 13 May 2013 at UN Headquarters in New York. This one day session on
“Achieving sustainable development: Integrating the social, economic and environmental
dimensions” brought together policy makers and key stakeholders, including Major Groups’
representatives and UN agencies, to examine how science, technology and innovation can
contribute to the strengthening of the science-policy interface and the integration of the
economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development
 The Third Session of the OWG (OWG-3) took place on 22-24 May 2013.4 The agenda
focused on two clusters of issues: i) Food security and nutrition, sustainable agriculture,
desertification, land degradation, and drought; and ii) Water and sanitation. A common theme
during OWG-3 was the need to address cross-sectoral links in a way that promotes interministerial cooperation at the national level as well as cooperation at the international level.
In their concluding remarks, 5 the Co-Chairs noted appreciation for the issues briefs of the UN
Technical Support Team, very constructive conversations with Major Groups and other
stakeholders6, and that the process was not yet in a negotiating mode.
Several regional meetings have also been held to generate regional perspectives, inputs and responses:
 The African Regional Implementation Meeting took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from
19-21 November 2012. One of the recommendations called for the African RIM to be
elevated to a high-level regional forum to ensure effective engagement of African countries in
the HLPF.7
 The Conference on Sustainable Development in Latin America and the Caribbean:
Follow-up to the Development Agenda beyond 2015 and Rio+20took place in Bogotá,
countries(Algeria/Egypt/Morocco/Tunisia). These country teams decide themselves how they will be represented
in the OWG meetings. See http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/67/L.48/Rev.1&Lang=E
1 http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/index.php?menu=1574
2 http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/index.php?page=view&type=13&nr=401&menu=1476
3 Summary of the Second Session of the OWG on SDGs, 17-19 April 2013.
http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/1813Summary_OWG2_final.pdf
4 http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/we/
5 http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/1824Co-Chairs_Concluding%20Remarks_OWG3.pdf
6 In addition, to encourage public participation, OWG meetings are being broadcast through the United Nations
webcast and individuals are invited to submit questions to the participants through the OWG Twitter account
7 http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/1452africarimoutcome2012.pdf
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Colombia, from 7-9 March 2013, and was preceded by a Caribbean Forum on 5-6 March
2013 to discuss issues of importance to the subregion. 1
 The Economic Commission for Europe Discussion of Sustainable Development and the
Follow-Up to Rio+20 was held in Geneva, Switzerland, on 9 April 2013. Although the
UNECE decided not to hold a formal post-Rio+20 RIM, the discussion was seen as an
important contribution to the implementation of Rio+20 decisions in the UNECE context. 2

The Asian and Pacific Regional Implementation Meeting (RIM) on Rio+20 Outcomes
took place from 22-24 April 2013 in Bangkok, Thailand. The meeting was convened by the
UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in collaboration
with UNEP and the Asian Development Bank.3
 The Arab Regional Implementation Meeting on Rio+20 Outcomes, organized by the UN
Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA),UNEP and the League of
Arab States, was held in Dubai, UAE on 29-30 May 2013.4
Many additional meetings are scheduled to take place. 5Of pivotal importance are the remaining five
meetings and topics scheduled for the OWG 6:
 OWG-4, 17-19 June 2013: Employment and decent work for all, social protection, youth,
education and culture; Health, population dynamics
 OWG-5, 25-27 November 2013: Sustained and inclusive economic growth, macroeconomic
policy questions, infrastructure development and industrialization; Energy
 OWG-6, 9-13 December 2013: Means of implementation(science and technology, knowledgesharing and capacity building); Global partnership for achieving sustainable development;
Needs of countries in special situations, African countries, LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS as well
as specific challenges facing the middle-income countries
 OWG-7, 6-10 January 2014: Sustainable cities and human settlements, sustainable transport;
Sustainable consumption and production (including chemicals and waste); Climate change
and disaster risk reduction
 OWG-8, 3-7 February 2014: Oceans and seas, forests, biodiversity; Promoting equality,
including social equity, gender equality and women’s empowerment; Conflict prevention,
post-conflict peacebuilding and the promotion of durable peace, rule of law and governance.
The 20th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, which was to have taken place
in May 2013 has been postponed.7It is probable that this final CSD meeting will now take place back
to back with the First Meeting of the High Level Political Forum in September 2013.
The Post-2015 Process
Following on the 2010 High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly on the Millennium
Development Goals multiple initiatives are now underway to advance thinking on the global
development agenda beyond 2015.
The UN Secretary-General established a UN System Task Team, launched a High-level Panel of
Eminent Persons and appointed his own Special Advisor on Post-2015 Development Planning. These
processes are complemented by the United Nations Development Group who are facilitating at least
50 national consultations in developing countries, 811 multi-stakeholder thematic consultations9and
1
http://www.eclac.org/cgi-bin/getprod.asp?xml=/rio20/noticias/paginas/6/48936/P48936.xml&xsl=/rio20/tpli/p18f-st.xsl&base=/rio20/tpl-i/top-bottom.xsl
2 http://post2015.iisd.org/news/unece-outlines-possible-sdg-themes/#more-197003
3 http://www.unescap.org/sustainable-development/forums/RIM2013/
4 http://www.escwa.un.org/rcm/editor/Download.asp?table_name=rcm_meetings&field_name=id&FileID=222
5see, for example, those listed by the IISD Reporting Services (http://www.iisd.ca/email/subscribe.htm)
6 http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/1778Pow2805.pdf
7 http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/1753kazakhstan.pdf
8 UN teams in Member States are making special efforts to ensure that groups that are frequently underrepresented or absent from participation in global processes – for example, women, indigenous communities, the
youth, people with disabilities – are consulted on what they see as priorities for development of their
communities.
9
Thematic consultations are being convened on the following themes: education; inequalities; health; governance;
conflict and fragility; growth and employment; environmental sustainability; hunger, nutrition and food security;
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supporting citizen and stakeholder engagement with the post-2015 agenda. In addition, the UN
Economic Commissions are engaged in regional consultations to elaborate regional perspectives and
many developed countries are running their own processes.1
Many other intergovernmental processes will help identify key priorities for the Post 2015
development agenda They include the 20-year review of the Programme of Action of the International
Conference on Population and Development in 2014, and, in 2015, the World Conference on Disaster
Reduction, the 10-year review of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and the
Commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Beijing World Conference on Women. Civil society
organizations from all over the world have also begun to engage in the post-2015 process, while
academia and other research institutions, including think tanks, are particularly active. The UN Global
Compact and the ILO are amongst others who will play key roles in reaching out to businesses and the
private sector.2
Established by the UN Secretary-General in January 2012, the UN System Task Team on the Post2015 UN Development Agenda assembles more than 60 UN agencies and international organizations.
Co-chaired by UN DESA and UNDP, the Task Team provides system-wide support to the post-2015
consultation process, including analytical input, expertise and outreach.3
The Task Team published its first report entitled Realizing the Future We Want for All in June 2012.4
The report outlined the vision of the United Nations system on the global development agenda beyond
2015. It also provided a road map based on a two-step approach for supporting Member States to
develop the agenda. The first step, up until the Special Event in September 2013, is to promote an
open, inclusive and transparent consultation process, to take stock and encourage contributions from a
wide range of stakeholders. The second step, from the Special Event through 2015, is to intensify
efforts to achieve intergovernmental consensus, while sustaining an open and inclusive process.
The High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda was convened
by the Secretary-General in July 2012. The Panel consisted of 26 eminent persons from around the
world, including representatives of governments, the private sector, academia, and civil society. It was
co-chaired by the Presidents of Indonesia and Liberia and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
The High-Level Panel’s report A New Global Partnership: Eradicate Poverty and Transform
Economies through Sustainable Development was sent to the Secretary General on 30 May 2013.5
During the report preparation, the Panel held consultations with more than 5,000 civil society groups
from 121 countries across every region of the world. Panel members also spoke to experts from
multilateral organizations, national governments, the private sector and the academic and scientific
communities. The Secretary-General will draw on the Panel’s recommendations for his own report to
the UN General Assembly in September 2013.
The post-2015 agenda will reflect new development challenges and is linked to the outcome of
Rio+20. The work of both the High-level Panel of the Post-2015 development process and the Open
Working Group of the Rio+20 follow-up process strive to form a single development framework with
poverty reduction and sustainable development at its core.
In addition to supporting numerous national and thematic consultations, the United Nations
Development Group (UNDG)6has been spearheading additional unprecedented initiatives though
population dynamics; energy; and water. Each consultation is led by two or more UN agencies working closely
with representatives from civil society, the private sector and academia as well as with co-hosting governments.
The consultations aim to explore the role such themes could play in a new framework, different ways in which
they can be best addressed, and the interlinkages between them. http://www.worldwewant2015.org/sitemap
1 To ensure coherence across the different work streams an informal senior coordination group of four Assistant
Secretaries-General (ASGs) has been put in place, which includes the ASG for Economic Development at DESA,
the ASG for Development Policy at UNDP, the ASG for Policy and Programme at UN Women and the Special
Advisor on Post-2015 Development Planning. A One Secretariat was established to facilitate the coordination and
coherence across work streams, while each of the work streams remains substantively independent.
2UN System Task Team on the Post 2015 Development Agenda. Realizing the Future We Want for All. Report to
the Secretary General. New York. June 2012.
http://www.uncsd2012.org/content/documents/516Realizing%20the%20future%20we%20want.pdf
3 http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/policy/untaskteam_undf/index.shtml
4http://www.uncsd2012.org/content/documents/516Realizing%20the%20future%20we%20want.pdf
5A New Global Partnership: Eradicate Poverty and Transform Economies through Sustainable
Development.Report of the High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda.
http://www.un.org/sg/management/pdf/HLP_P2015_Report.pdf
6
The UN Development Group (UNDG) unites the 32 UN funds, programmes, agencies, departments, and offices
that play a role in development. The group’s common objective is to deliver more coherent, effective and efficient
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which the general public can contribute to The Global Conversation. These include The World We
Want, anon-line web platform where any individual may engage in the consultations taking place on
the post-2015 development process by posting their views on selected topics. 1 There is also a global
survey on the web called My World, where users worldwide can select their six priorities out of a list
of 16 different themes, thereby sharing the development issues that most impact their lives.2
Preliminary findings from the national, thematic and global consultations, including the inputs from
web platforms, the World We Want and My World, were published by the UNDG in New York on 21
March 2013.3The report, The Global Conversation Begins, provided the High-level Panel with a snap
shot of the emerging narrative in its final meeting. The Global Conversation will continue to feed into
other processes.
The General Assembly will continue to provide overall guidance to the post-2015 process, including
through the 2013 Special Event. The Secretary-General’s 2012 report Realizing the Future We Want
for All proposed that the 2013 Special Event of the President of the General Assembly should be
convened with multi-stakeholder participation, as was the 2010 Millennium Development Goals
Summit. Drawing upon multiple inputs, the event could provide a platform for an interactive dialogue
among Member States and other stakeholders about the possible contours of the post-2015 UN
development agenda and, in doing so, provide a basis for subsequent decision-making. It might also
call for a UN summit on development in 2014 or 2015 to reach agreement on the post-2015 UN
development agenda. Depending on the outcome of the Special Event, more focused discussions could
then be launched on the specific format and content of a new agenda, including possible goals and
targets to be proposed for intergovernmental agreement. 4
Evolution of the new development agenda and SDGs
Whilst there is still a long way to go before a new sustainable development agenda is agreed, there is
some consensus already building on key elements of a framework and on the formulation and
characteristics of goals and targets. Whilst lessons learned from earlier processes are being taken on
board, there is also a lot of out-of-the-box thinking around these issues.
With broad agreement that the Rio+20 follow-up process and the Post-2015 development process
should be closely linked and possibly converge in one global development agenda beyond 2015 with
sustainable development at its core, both processes are coming up with mutually-relevant inputs. At
the same time it is recognized that while the SDGs are expected to be central to the post-2015
development agenda, they are not synonymous with that agenda.5
The following are some of the ideas that have emerged in reports from key teams, panels and working
groups in both the, including the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals 6 and its
Technical Task Team,7the High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda,8 the
UN System Task Team on the Post 2015 Development Agenda 9, The Global Conversation10, a UNEP
White Paper on Embedding the Environment in Sustainable Development Goals11 and the Outcome
document of Rio+201.
support to countries seeking to attain internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium
Development Goals. See http://ww.undp.org/
1 http://www.worldwewant2015.org
2 http://www.myworld2015.org/
3http://www.worldwewant2015.org/the-global-conversation-begins
4UN System Task Team on the Post 2015 Development Agenda. Realizing the Future We Want for All. Report to
the Secretary General. New York. June 2012. Paragraphs 132-134.
5Summary of the Second Session of the OWG on SDGs, 17-19 April 2013.
http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/1813Summary_OWG2_final.pdf
6Summary of the Second Session of the OWG on SDGs, 17-19 April 2013.
http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/1813Summary_OWG2_final.pdf
7 Document A/67/634. Initial Input of the Secretary-General to the Open Working Group on Sustainable
Development Goals.http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/67/634&Lang=E
8High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda.A New Global Partnership:
Eradicate Poverty and Transform Economies through Sustainable Development.Report to the Secretary
General.http://www.un.org/sg/management/pdf/HLP_P2015_Report.pdf
9UN System Task Team on the Post 2015 Development Agenda.Realizing the Future We Want for All. Report to
the Secretary General. New York. June 2012.
http://www.uncsd2012.org/content/documents/516Realizing%20the%20future%20we%20want.pdf
10The Global Conversation Begins. http://www.worldwewant2015.org/the-global-conversation-begins.
11UNEP. Embedding the environment in sustainable development goals. Draft White Paper.
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Conceptualising the new development framework
A central challenge is to ensure that globalization becomes a positive force for all the worlds’ peoples
of present and future generations. To achieve this, business as usual cannot be an option and
transformative change is needed. Five transformative shifts that have been suggested are – leave no
one behind, transform economies, implement sustainable development, build effective institutions and
forge a new global partnership.
A new, more holistic approach is needed to address the highly interdependent challenges. The core
values of human rights, equality and sustainability need to be engrained. It has been suggested to
expand the new development framework to four dimensions (1) inclusive social development; (2)
inclusive economic development; (3) environmental sustainability; and (4) peace and security.
The new development agenda should be truly global, with shared responsibilities for all countries. A
universal agenda is needed to address challenges like environmental degradation, unemployment, and
violence.
The agenda should be based on a limited number of high priority end goals and targets, with a clear
time horizon (2030 has been suggested) and supported by measurable indicators. This will require
robust independent systems for measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) and accountability.
One option might be to link the monitoring architecture to current reporting institutions within the
Multilateral Environmental Agreements.
Goals similar to the MDGs cannot substitute for detailed regulations or multilateral treaties since they
are not binding in international law. They stand or fall as tools of communication, inspiration, policy
formulation and resource mobilization.
Mechanisms of global governance will need to be reformed within the institutional framework for
sustainable development. There is a need to strengthen international environmental governance, to
promote policy coherence at the global, regional, national and sub-national levels, reduce unnecessary
overlap and duplication, and enhance coordination and cooperation among the multilateral
environmental agreements.
People want to participate, both in the agenda-setting and in monitoring the progress in
implementation
Formulating the Sustainable Development Goals, including from an
environmental perspective
While they cannot cover all aspects of sustainable development, the goals will need to emerge from a
common agreement on global priorities. Formulation of the SDGs will need strong bottom-up
engagement through broad consultation. The SDGs will need to be supported by a narrative which
brings out the interrelationships and some of the drivers, strategies and approaches to achieve
sustainable development. It is also important to address the means of achieving any agreed goals,; this
may include strengthened global partnership among governments and effective and targeted
partnerships involving all relevant stakeholders.
The biggest immediate challenge is to reach consensus on an agenda that adequately identifies the
development needs of present and future generations, and is capable of crystallizing these priorities in
clear, easy-to-communicate development goals that will help guide coherent policy action at the
global, regional and national levels.
Since environment is one of the key dimensions of sustainable development, it follows that the SDGs
should cover as much of this spectrum as possible. On the other hand, countries have also emphasized
that the SDGs should be “limited in number”i and it is certainly not possible to include each and every
environmental sustainability issue in the final set of SDGs. An urgent task is to compile a priority list
of critical current issues and imminent problems related to environmental sustainability that could be
used as a guide for formulating SDGs.
There are hundreds of international environmental treaties and agreements and they contain a wide
range of goals and targets. Forging ahead with new SDGs while ignoring the existing web of goals
and targets could create a situation in which countries need to cope with overlapping, and even
contradictory goals. Extra effort must be made to guarantee that goals complement each other, so that
Version 19 May 2013a
1 A/RES/66/288. The Future We Want. Resolution adopted by the 66th session of the UN General Assembly. The
Resolution annexes The Future We Want outcome document of the UNCSD held 20-22 June 2012.
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actions to achieve one goal do not undermine another goal. For example, the Montreal Protocol has
been a success in phasing out the use of ozone-depleting substances, but hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs),
one of the substitutes for these substances, turn out to be potent greenhouse gases. While the
concentration of HFCs is still low in the atmosphere, it is building up rapidly because countries have
not targeted their control (even though they do fall under the Kyoto Protocol of the climate treaty).
Hence a solution to stratospheric ozone depletion under one treaty is undermining the achievement of
climate targets under another treaty.
Taking into account the merits and shortcomings of earlier processes, The Future We Want outcome
document from Rio+20 sets out clear expectations as well as some ambitious aspirations for the
SDGs.1 The goals should:
 be based on Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation
 respect all Rio Principles
 not divert focus or effort from achieving the Millennium Development Goals
 be universally applicable to all countries while taking into account different national realities,
capacities and levels of development and respecting national policies and priorities
 contribute to the implementation of all major summits
 serve as a driver for implementation and mainstreaming of sustainable development in the
United Nations system as a whole
 be focused on priority areas
 address and incorporate in a balanced way all three dimensions of sustainable development
and their interlinkages
 be action oriented, concise and easy to communicate, limited in number, aspirational, and
global in nature be accompanied by targets and indicators so that progress can be assessed.
The High-level Panel recommends that a limited number of goals and targets be adopted in the post2015 development agenda, and that each should be SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant
and time-bound. To align the post-2015 agenda with the Rio+20 Outcome, they further suggest that
every goal should:
 Solve a critical issue, and have a strong impact on sustainable development;
 Encapsulate a compelling message on issues that energise people, companies and
governments;
 Be grounded in the voice of people, and the priorities identified during consultations;
 Be consensus-based, whenever possible built on UN member states’ existing agreements,
while also striving to go beyond previous agreements to make people’s lives better.
To illustrate their belief that all goals should interact to provide results, the High-level Panel have
suggested the following goals: (i) end poverty; (ii) empower girls and women and achieve gender
equality; (iii) provide quality education and lifelong learning; (iv) ensure healthy lives; (v) ensure food
security and good nutrition; (vi) achieve universal access to water and sanitation; (vii) secure
sustainable energy; (viii) create jobs, sustainable livelihoods and equitable growth; (ix) manage natural
resource assets sustainably; (x) ensure good governance and effective institutions; (xi) ensure stable
and peaceful societies; and (xii) create a global enabling environment and catalyse long-term finance.
No doubt this list, together with additional suggestions, 2 will be the subject of intense discussion over
the next few months before the new goals are finally agreed.
Concerned about embedding environmental sustainability in new SDGs, UNEP has identified some
specific criteria that could assist:
 Give priority to goals and targets that avoid irreversible changes in the global environment
1
2
Many of the same points were reiterated by OWG-2 in April 2013.
In the run-up to Rio+20, for example, the Governments of Columbia and Guatemala jointly submitted a
proposed list of 8 SDGs, and there was a common proposal from world Civil Society Organizations for a set of
17. See UNCSD Rio 2012 Issues Brief Number 6: Current Ideas on Sustainable Development Goals and
Indicators at http://www.uncsd2012.org/rio20issuesbriefs.html
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 Cover as many other critical issues of environmental sustainability as possible without making
too large a number
 Take into account current environmental global goals and targets – don’t backtrack on existing
agreements.
 For SDG indicators, UNEP is recommending that they be:
 Limited in number, coherent, understandable, clear and unambiguous
 Relevant to policy making
 Specific & measurable, clearly linked to targets and able to show progress towards their
achievement, set against a baseline year
 Linked to recognized monitoring systems, if possible, to establish their credibility and
comparability, allowing for meaningful trend analysis and cost-effective monitoring by
countries.
Ozone in Future SDGs
Even though there is still some way to go before the new SDGs are agreed, the process is well
underway and proceeding fast through multiple work streams. As the SDGs are formulated it will be
possible to identify any goals where either the protection of stratospheric ozone, or the Montreal
Protocol itself, may be of particular relevance. Even before this stage is reached, it is pertinent to start
considering potential ozone-related indicators that could add-value in the new system.
The ‘consumption of ozone-depleting substances’ has been used as an indicator for global sustainable
development since the mid-1990s – in tracking the implementation of the atmosphere component in
Agenda 21 as well as for monitoring environmental sustainability within the Millennium Development
Goals. With the latest review reporting a reduction in ODS consumption of over 98 per cent, the
Montreal Protocol is recognized as a highly successful international agreement, the stratospheric ozone
layer is on the road to recovery and, because most of these substances are also potent greenhouse
gases, the Montreal Protocol has contributed significantly to the protection of the global climate
system.1
With such significant progress already made it seems unlikely that the wholesale phase-out of ODS
would continue to be a useful indicator under the new SDG framework. Nevertheless, it is recognized
by scientists and Member States that the Montreal Protocol still has unfinished business with regard to
environmental sustainability. The reductions achieved to date leave hydrochlorofluorocarbons
(HCFCs) as the largest group of substances remaining to be phased out, so this could be a narrowed
down focus for future monitoring.
There are complex interactions between ozone depletion and climate change – both can affect the
other through changes in chemistry, radiation and atmospheric circulation. Governments have already
been considering an amendment that would address the rapid increase in the use and release of
hydrofluorocarbons(HFCs), a class of chemicals with high global warming potential that are often
used as substitutes for certain ozone-depleting substances.2 This issue was singled out for mention in
The Future We Want outcome document of Rio+20 which stated that “We support a gradual phasedown in the consumption and production of hydrofluorocarbons.” 3Perfluoropolyethers (PFPs),
proposed as HCFC substitutes, also have very large global warming potential. Their risks need to be
further evaluated.
Likewise both climate change and changes in UV-B radiation affect the concentration of halogencontaining compounds involved in ozone chemistry in the atmosphere. Emissions of halogencontaining compounds (such as methyl bromide from higher plants) increase as air temperature
increases. If these compounds are transported to the upper atmosphere the bromine particles contribute
to ozone destruction. While methyl bromide concentrations in the atmosphere have been decreasing at
2.5-3.0 per cent per annum future global warming may reduce the current rate of decline. 4 Perhaps
1http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/pdf/MDG%20Report%202012.pdf
2The
tropospheric concentration of HFC-134a increased by up to 12 per cent per annum between 1998 and 2002.
HFC-134a is a potent greenhouse gas. See UNEP 2006. Environmental Effects of Ozone Depletion: 2006
Assessment. United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi. ISBN: 978-92-807-2821-7
3A/RES/66/288. The Future We Want. Paragraph 222, under Chemicals and Waste.
http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/index.php?menu=1298
4UNEP 2006. Environmental Effects of Ozone Depletion: 2006 Assessment. United Nations Environment
Programme, Nairobi. ISBN: 978-92-807-2821-7
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these substances could be the basis for a new ozone-related indicator that would also bridge across to
the issue of mitigating climate change.
An alternative approach could be to use the experience of the Montreal Protocol to formulate an
indicator based around the types of mechanisms that have been shown important for international
treaties to be successful. Such an indicator would use the Montreal Protocol as a role model or guiding
beacon for other international agreements which are currently not meeting their targets or whose
mechanisms are yet to be agreed. This would, in effect, be an indicator of good governance.
The following are some of the key characteristics that have led to the success of the Montreal Protocol:
1.
Strong, science-based evidence and widespread recognition of an urgent priority issue
requiring policy attention.
Prior to the Montreal Protocol, intergovernmental negotiations on their own failed to mobilize
sufficient support for the far-reaching measures that were needed. But the presentation of
overwhelming scientific evidence, the discovery of the huge ozone hole over Antarctica, the
realization that this could have serious impacts on human health and ecosystems, and intensive
lobbying by civil society organizations eventually created the consensus necessary for the agreement
to be signed.1
2.
Defining clear goals, mandatory targets and specific timeframes for these to be met, and
conducting regular reviews of progress(also see 7 below).
3.
Principle of common but differentiated responsibility and fairness (such as equal number of
members from developing and developed countries in various subsidiary bodies) that have
been fundamental in the universal ratification.
4.
A legal framework that is flexible enough to have ownership of countries at different levels of
development and with different national priorities.2
The Montreal Protocol has many special features that embody the principle of common but
differentiated responsibility. It also provides a legal framework that enables its implementation in an
equitable and fair manner. Different needs of different countries are taken into consideration.
5.
A responsive and proactive Secretariat
6.
A reliable, adequately endowed, financial mechanism
The mechanism, which includes the Multilateral Fund, has provided financial and technical
cooperation, including transfer of technology, to enable Article 5 (developing country) parties to
comply with the Montreal Protocol. It covers agreed incremental costs, through projectised funding.
Contributions to the Fund come from non-Article 5 Parties (industrialized countries), The Fund has
been regularly replenished.
7.
National level capacity building and institutional strengthening
A Compliance Assistance Programme (CAP) was established under the Multilateral Fund. Under the
CAP, 9 regional networks provide a mechanism for North-South and South-South cooperation to
support and build the capacity of national ozone officers. 148 developing and 14 developed countries
are involved. Networking activities have resulted in improved data reporting, and national officers’
ability to implement, coordinate and manage their national ODS phase-out activities.
8.
Provision for adjustment and amendment to the Protocol, based on latest available
information
Three assessment panels (Scientific, Environmental Effects; and Technology and Economic)
undertake assessments at least every 4 years, and produce policy relevant reports. The Parties also
request the assessment panels to provide updates of their reports annually to provide any important
information. The Montreal Protocol has been adjusted and amended several times based on this
information.
1Kofi
A. Annan. 2000. We the Peoples: the Role of the United Nations in the 21st Century. United Nations, New
York. Chapter 4. http://www.un.org/millennium/sg/report/ch4.pdf
2 Points 4,6,7,8 and 9 are drawn from Key Elements behind the success of the Montreal Protocol that may be of
relevance to the discussions on post-Kyoto agreement based on the Bali Action Plan (BAP) and ideas and
proposals on paragraph 1 of the BAP (FCCC/AWGLCA/2008/16/Rev.1). Paper prepared by the Ozone Secretariat
based on a statement by Marco Gonzalez, Executive Secretary, Vienna Convention and Montreal Protocol
Secretariat, February 2009.
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9.
A non-compliance procedure
The Parties have agreed an “Indicative list of measures that might be taken by a meeting of the Parties
in respect of non-compliance with the Protocol”. Any Party or the Secretariat can submit concerns
regarding another Party’s implementation of its obligations under the Protocol. Reported/potential
cases are communicated to the Party in question. The indicative list of measures that might be taken
by a meeting of the Parties in respect of non-compliance appropriate assistance, issuing cautions, and
suspension in accordance with the applicable rules of international law.
When international treaties and agreements have tackled goals with specific and measurable targets,
they have demonstrated considerable success. Effective governance includes adequate follow-up and
compliance systems with independent monitoring and verification, and responsive financing and
economic incentives. The bottom line for a successful intervention is that there must be the
political will to make it happen.
It could be extremely valuable to build these lessons learned into the new set of SDGs through some
kind of good governance indicator. Interestingly, there was an indicator on “Implementation of
Ratified Global Agreements” included in the CSD indicator set prepared for Agenda 21, based on the
existence of national legislation for ratified agreements. However, it was recognised that the indicator
had severe limitations because the existence of legislation does not necessarily imply effective
implementation or compliance. There could now be an opportunity to design an effective good
governance indicator, perhaps one that presents a dashboard or check list of enabling conditions
conducive to meeting specific international goals and targets.
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