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Indicators of Sustainable Development

Chapter 40 of Agenda 21 calls on countries and the international community to develop indicators of sustainable development. Such indicators are needed to increase focus on sustainable development and assist decision-makers at all levels to adopt sound national sustainable development policies.

Johannesburg Plan of Implementation & CSD-11, CSD-13

The Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, (see Chapter X), and the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) at its 11th and 13th sessions encouraged further work on indicators for sustainable development by countries, in line with their specific conditions and priorities. CSD-13 invited the international community to support efforts of developing countries in this regard.

Guidelines on Indicators & their Detailed Methodology Sheets

The third, revised set of CSD indicators was finalized in 2006 by a group of experts from developing and developed countries and international organizations. The revised edition contains 96 indicators, including a subset of 50 core indicators. The guidelines on indicators and their detailed methodology sheets are now available as a reference for all countries to develop national indicators of sustainable development.

The CSD indicator set is based on the previous two (1996 and 2001) editions, which have been developed, improved and extensively tested as part of the implementation of the Work Programme on Indicators of Sustainable Development adopted by the CSD at its third session in 1995 and presented to the CSD in 2001.