Response to the questionnaire on the scope and methodology of a global sustainable development report

Responses to the questionnaire on scope and methodology of a global sustainable development report were received from China, Costa Rica, Croatia, the European Union, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, the Russian Federation, Switzerland, Tunisia, and the UK, as well as from CDP, ESCAP, ECLAC, UNEP, UNCTAD, and WMO. In addition, related written inputs were considered from experts and UN partners who participated in expert group meetings that were convened in support of the Report in 2013. .This includes, inter alia, written responses by CBD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, UNEP and UNESCO.

The Global Sustainable Development Report will aim to provide a simple guide to map out salient regional and national assessments on sustainable development, and highlight their features for policy makers' easy references. If you have questions or are interested in making a contribution to the section on national assessments, please contact us here.

Title		Publisher	Year
	Global Sustainable Development Report (Advance Unedited Version)	UNDESA	2015
	Prototype Global Sustainable Development Report	UN-DESA	2014
	China Sustainable Development Report 2013 - the road to ecological civilization: the next decade	China	2013
	Synthesis of National Reports for RIO+20	UN DESA/UNDP	2012
	Turkey’s Sustainable Development Report – Claiming the Future 2012	UNDP	2012
	Vietnam: Implementation of Sustainable Development: National Report at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20)	Vietnam	2012
	India: Sustainable Development in India: Stocktaking in the run up to Rio+20	India	2011
	Ukraine: OECD Investment Policy Reviews: Ukraine 2011	OECD	2011
	Brazil Low-carbon - Country Case Study	The World Bank	2010
	Mexico: Low-carbon Development for Mexico	ESMAP	2010
	Russia: The 13th Human Development Report for the Russian Federation, Energy Sector and Sustainable Development	UNDP	2010
	Argentina: Foreign Investment and Sustainable Development in Argentina	Tuft	2008
	Indonesia: Low Carbon Development Options for Indonesia	The World Bank	2008
	Iran: Energy and Sustainable Development in Iran	Helio International	2006
	Thailand: Supporting Sustainable Development in Thailand: A Geographic Clusters Approach	World Bank	2006
	South Africa: The Challenge of Sustainable Development	UNDP	2003

The preparation of the Prototype Global Sustainable Development Report was coordinated by UN-DESA’s Division for Sustainable Development and involved the collaboration of multiple UN entities including the CBD, ECLAC, ESCAP, ECE, ESCWA, FAO, ILO, IAEA, IMO, OHRLLS, UNCCD, UNCTAD, UNEP, UNESCO, UNFCCC, UNFPA, UN-Habitat, UNIDO, WFP and The World Bank. The IMF participated as an observer. Preparation of the Prototype Report also involved a wide network of natural and social scientists, including scenarios and other modelling communities.

If you are interested in making a contribution to the future editions of the report, please contact us.

A number of quantitative and qualitative tools are being used in the preparation of the Global Sustainable Development Report. They will be described here in due course. One example of the tools developed specifically for this report is an open-source, global model of the climate-landuse-energy-water-development nexus (CLEW).

Global CLEW model

An integrated systems approach is used to find innovative solutions to the simultaneous achievement of multiple objectives. When interconnections are being taken into account between activities to address objectives in the climate, land-use, energy, water, materials and development areas, better solutions can be identified that resolve important trade-offs building on synergies. In order to provide a firm basis for the emerging, national-level CLEW assessments and planning exercises, the United Nations works with the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) to develop a global model. Such model may also support decision-making on the planned Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), as the areas covered by the model overlap with those typically highlighted as priority areas by Governments in the SDG process. The model will allow for the visualisation of the effects of policy decisions in key sectors of relevance for sustainable development. The tool allows for direct economic comparison between policy options and illustrates environmental consequences and social implications. In fact, it is a mini-SDG model. It is being developed as an open-source tool (using OSeMOSYS) with input data derived from an open-process.

Chapter 1:

• Deep roots – A conceptual history of ‘sustainable development’ (Nachhaltigkeit), 2007. [more]
• Our Common Journey: A Transition Toward Sustainability, 1999. [more]
• Sustainable Development in the 21st century study, 2012. [more]
• Wiki surveys: open and quantifiable social data collection, 2012. [more]
• What is sustainable development? 2005. [more]
• Interpreting Sustainability in Economic Terms, 2003. [more]

Chapter 2

• Changes in the global value of ecosystem services, 2014. [more]
• International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development, 2009. [more]
• Knowledge systems for sustainable development, 2003. [more]
• How Do Scientific Assessments Learn? 2002. [more]
• Evolution and structure of sustainability science, 2011. [more]
• Global Energy Assessment, 2012. [more]
• Institutions, Climate Change and Cultural Theory: Towards a Common Analytical Framework, 1999. [more]
• Global Environmental Outlook 5, 2012. [more]
• Global Biodiversity Outlook 3, 2010. [more]
• GSDR Background Paper: A review of national sustainable development assessments, 2013. [more]
• Integrated analysis of climate change, land-use, energy and water strategies, 2013. [more]
• Applying Strategic Environmental Assessment: Good Practice Guidance for Development Co-operation, 2006. [more]
• The art of science advice to government, 2014. [more]
• Global Risks 2014, Ninth Edition. [more]
• New and emerging issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, 2014. [more]
• 21 Issues for the 21st Century, 2012. [more]

Chapter 3:

• Long-Term Trends and a Sustainability Transition, 2003. [more]
• Readings in Sustainability Science and Technology, 2010. [more]
• World Population Prospects, 2013. [more]
• International shortfall inequality in life expectancy in women and in men: 1950–2010, 2013. [more]
• Global Health Risks, 2009. [more]
• Global Burden of Disease Study 2010, 2012. [more]
• World Economic Outlook, 2013. [more]
• Beyond GDP: Measuring and achieving global genuine progress. Ecological Economics, 2013. [more]
• Global Wealth Databook, 2013. [more]
• Global Income Inequality by the Numbers: in History and Now - An Overview, 2012. [more]
• Lessons from the history of technology and global change for the emerging clean technology cluster, 2011. [more]
• Global patterns of material use, 2010. [more]
• A national and international analysis of changing forest density, 2011. [more]
• Global human appropriation of net primary production doubled in the 20th century, 2013. [more]

Chapter 4

• Environment Outlook for 2050, 2012. [more]
• Roads from Rio+20 – Pathways to achieve global sustainability goals by 2050, 2012. [more]
• Energy Pathways for Sustainable Development, GEA, 2012. [more]
• Energy for a Shared Development Agenda: Global Scenarios and Governance Implications, 2012. [more]
• Human Capital, Innovation, and Climate Policy: An Integrated Assessment, 2013. [more]
• Global resource modelling of the climate, land, energy and water (CLEWs) Nexus using the open-source energy modelling system (OSEMOSYS), 2013. [more]
• Living Planet Report 2012: Biodiversity, biocapacity and better choices, 2012. [more]
• Vision 2050: The new agenda for business, 2010. [more]
• Global Risk Report, 2012. [more]
• Special Report on Emissions Scenarios, 2000. [more]
• 2052: A global forecast for the next 40 years, 2012. [more]
• A safe operating space for humanity, 2009. [more]
• Financing for sustainable development: Review of global investment requirement estimates, 2013. [more]
• GSDR Background Paper: Financial approaches to support implementation of global goals and targets, 2014. [more]

Chapter 5

• Indicators of Sustainable Development, Guidelines and Methodologies, 2007. [more]
• A policy scenario analysis of sustainable agricultural development options: a case study for Nepal, 2000. [more]
• Millennium Development Report, 2013. [more]
• Report of Sponsorship Group on Measuring Progress, Well-being and Sustainable Development, 2011. [more]
• GDP and beyond – Measuring progress in a changing world, 2009. [more]
• A theoretical foundation to support the Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare (ISEW), Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI), and other related indexes, 2003. [more]
• A summary of ISEW and GPI studies at multiple scales and new estimates for Baltimore City, 2011. [more]
• Manual for calculating adjusted net savings, 2002. [more]
• Measuring sustainable development, 2009. [more]
• Framework and suggested indicators to measure sustainable development, 2013. [more]
• How’s Life? Measuring Well-being, 2011. [more]
• Human Sustainable Development Index, 2010. [more]
• Measuring Economic Growth from Outer Space, 2012. [more]
• Estimation of Gross Domestic Product at Sub-National Scales using Nighttime Satellite Imagery, 2007. [more]
• A global poverty map derived from satellite data, 2009. [more]
• Measuring Progress Towards Sustainable Development Goals, 2013. [more]
• Monitoring of SDG Implementation Infrastructure and Methodology – Proposal for Action, 2014. [more]

Chapter 6

• Considering the energy, water and food nexus, 2011. [more]
• Planetary Boundaries?: Exploring the Safe Operating Space for Humanity, 2009. [more]
• The social cost of carbon?: what does it actually depend on? 2006. [more]
• World Energy Outlook 2012. [more]
• Perspectives on Sustainable Energy for the 21st Century, 2012. [more]
• Climate volatility deepens poverty vulnerability in developing countries, 2009. [more]
• Climate and energy-water-land system interactions, 2012. [more]
• Global resource modelling of the climate, land, energy and water (CLEWS) nexus using the open source energy modelling system (OSEMOSYS), 2013. [more]
• Integrated analysis of climate change, land use, energy and water strategies, 2013, [more]
• A scoping study on the macroeconomic view of sustainability, 2010. [more]
• 2050 Pathways Calculator, 2013. [more]
• Adding value with CLEWS – Modelling the energy system and its interdependencies for Mauritius, 2014. [more]
• Bioenergy Development in Thailand: Challenges and Strategies, 2013. [more]

Chapter 7

• The Experience of ISLANDS in Deploying System Dynamics Modeling as an Integrated Policy Tool, 2014. [more]
• A proposed approach to assessing the Water-Food-Energy-Ecosystems Nexus under the UNECE Water Convention, 2013. [more]
• Ocean acidification: the other CO2 problem, 2009. [more]
• Ocean acidification: The newest threat to the global environment, 2011. [more]
• Taking action against ocean acidification: a review of management and policy options, 2013. [more]
• Trends in the sources and sinks of carbon dioxide, 2009. [more]
• Is a New Multilateral Environmental Agreement on Ocean Acidification Necessary?, 2012. [more]
• Ocean acidification and climate change: synergies and challenges of addressing both under the UNFCCC, 2012. [more]
• Planetary boundaries: exploring the safe operating space for humanity, 2009. [more]
• Tipping elements in the Earth's climate system, 2008. [more]
• First Census of Marine Life 2010, 2010. [more]
• Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005. Ecosystems and Human Well-being: Synthesis. [more]
• Climate change and sustainable food production, 2013. [more]
• Options to reduce the environmental effects of livestock production – Comparison of two economic models, 2013. [more]
• The state of food insecurity in the world, 2010. [more]
• A Framework for Sustainability Transition: The Case of Plant-Based Diets, 2013. [more]
• Can carbon footprint serve as an indicator of the environmental impact of meat production?, 2013. [more]
• Integrated sustainability assessment: what is it, why do it and how?, 2006. [more]

The Global Sustainable Development Report will, inter alia, aim to bring together dispersed sustainable development assessments and related processes. To this end, assessment initiatives are called upon to share brief descriptions (1-4 pages) which will be featured on the Website. Briefs provided by third parties may also be considered. The briefs should ideally address the following elements:

• scientific or thematic topic(s) addressed by the assessment
• geographical scope of the assessment
• time period covered by the assessment
• total number of editions completed
• methodology employed to prepare this assessment
• funding arrangements
• peer review arrangements

In addition, academic articles reviewing the landscape of assessments for sustainable development may also be submitted. To make a contribution or for further information, please contact us at http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/account.php?menu=1727.

The following is a list of the publications and outlooks considered in the present report. Direct Web links are provided for ease of reference.

Selected UN flagship reports

• World Development Report 2013 (WB) (Messages | Full report)
• Human Development report 2013 (UNDP) (Summary | Full report)
• Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment (CBD)
• Expert group on the role of biodiversity in sustaining the water cycle (convened by SCBD in cooperation with the Scientific and Technical Review Panel of the Ramsar Convention)
• Regulatory framework for climate-related geoengineering relevant to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
• Impacts of climate-related geoengineering on biological diversity (CBD)
• Connecting Biodiversity and Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation (CBD)
• Interlinkages between biological diversity and climate change (CBD)
• Scientific Synthesis on the Impacts of Underwater Noise on Marine and Coastal Biodiversity and Habitats (CBD)
• Scientific Synthesis of the Impacts of Ocean Acidification on Marine Biodiversity (CBD)
• Scientific Synthesis of the Impacts of Ocean Fertilization on Marine Biodiversity (CBD)
• Series of regional workshops for describing ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs) (CBD)
• IMF Research Bulletin
• Economic Report on Africa 2013 (ECA)
• African Governance Report II (ECA)
• Combating Corruption, Improving Governance in Africa (ECA)
• The Role of Parliament in Promoting Good Governance (ECA)
• African Women’s Report (ECA)
• Sustainable Development Report on Africa III (ECA)
• The Renewable Energy Sector in North Africa (ECA)
• Annual Report (ECE)
• Lviv Forum Report (ECE)
• Forest and Economic Development (ECE)
• Euro-Asian Transport Linkages, Phase II, Expert Group Report (ECE)
• Foreign Direct Investment in Latin America and the Caribbean 2012 (ECLAC)
• Social Panorama of Latin America 2012 (ECLAC)
• Economic Survey of Latin America and the Caribbean 2012 (ECLAC)
• Latin America and the Caribbean in the World Economy 2011-2012 (ECLAC)
• A future within reach: reshaping institutions in a region of disparities to meet the Millennium Development Goals in Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
• Asia and the Pacific Beijing+10 Selected Issues (ESCAP)
• Asia Pacific Disaster Report 2010 - Protecting Development Gains (ESCAP)
• Green Growth, Resources and Resilience Environmental Sustainability in Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
• Economic and social survey of Asia and the Pacific 2013 (ESCAP)
• ESCWA Annual Report – 2013 (ESCWA)
• Summary of the survey of economic and social developments in the Arab region, 2013-2014 (ESCWA)
• Progress Made by the ESCWA Member Countries on Financing for Development (ESCWA)
• The Arab Millennium Development Goals Report: Facing Challenges and Looking Beyond 2015 (ESCWA)
• Inventory of Shared Water Resources in Western Asia (ESCWA)
• Priority adaptations to climate change for Pacific fisheries and aquaculture (FAO)
• Report of the Fourth Meeting of the Regional Fishery Body Secretariats Network (RSN-4) (FAO)
• Guide for Policy and Programmatic Actions at Country Level to Address High Food Prices (FAO)
• FAO, forests and climate change (FAO)
• Forests and water (FAO)
• Guidance Note: Integrating the RIGHT TO ADEQUATE FOOD into food and nutrition security programmes (FAO)
• Making agriculture work for nutrition - Synthesis of guiding principles (FAO)
• Proceedings from the International Scientific Symposium on Food and Nutrition Security information: from Valid Measurement to Effective Decision Making (FAO)
• Enabling environments for agribusiness and agro-industries development. Regional and country perspectives (FAO)
• Food Wastage Footprint. Impact on Natural Resources. Summary report (FAO)
• Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management in Agriculture (FAO)
• The impact of commodity development projects on smallholders’ market access in developing countries (FAO)
• Report of the first regular session of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination for 2013 (CEB)
• What Climate Change Means for Africa, Asia and the Coastal Poor (WB)
• Annual report 2012 (IFAD)
• Smallholders, food security, and the environment (IFAD)
• Destination green – driving progress through action on aviation and the environment (ICAO)
• Global Wage Report 2012-13 (ILO)
• World of Work Report 2013: "Repairing the economic and social fabric" (ILO)
• International workshop on environmental management needs for exploration and exploitation of deep seabed minerals (ISA)
• Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction 2013 (UNISDR)
• Synthesis report on consultations on the post-2015 framework on disaster risk reduction (HFA2) (UNISDR)
• Towards a Post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR)
• Building resilience to disasters through partnerships (UN Task Team on the post-2015 UN development agenda: IOM, ITU, OHCHR, UNESCO, UNEP, UNISDR, UNFPA, WMO)
• Trends in Telecommunication Reform 2013: Transnational aspects of regulation in a networked society (ITU)
• Annual report 2012 (ITC)
• World Investment and Political Risk 2012 (MIGA, WB)
• Better Than Cash Alliance (UNCDF)
• 2012 Annual Report: A Year of Innovation (UNCDF)
• The State of the World’s Children 2013: Children with Disabilities (UNICEF)
• Humanitarian Action for Children 2013 (UNICEF)
• Possible future work in the area of public-private partnerships (PPPs) (UNCITRAL)
• Microfinance: creating an enabling legal environment for micro-business and small and medium-sized enterprises (UNCITRAL)
• Trade and Development Report 2012 (UNCTAD)
• World Investment Report 2013 - Global Value Chains: Investment and Trade for Development (UNCTAD)
• Least Developed Countries Report 2012 - Harnessing Remittances and Diaspora Knowledge to Build Productive Capacities (UNCTAD)
• Technology and Innovation Report 2012 - Innovation, Technology and South-South Collaboration (UNCTAD)
• Trade and Environment Review 2009/2010 (UNCTAD)
• Information Economy Report 2012 - The Software Industry and Developing Countries (UNCTAD)
• Economic Development in Africa Report 2013 - Intra-African Trade: Unlocking Private Sector Dynamism (UNCTAD)
• Review of Maritime Transport 2012 (UNCTAD)
• UNCCD 2nd Scientific Conference Background Document: The Economics of Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought: Methodologies and Analysis for Decision-Making (UNCCD)
• Zero Net Land Degradation: Sustainable Development Goal for Rio+20. To secure the contribution of our planet's land and soil to sustainable development, including food security and poverty eradication. UNCCD secretariat recommendations in the run-up to Rio+20 (UNCCD)
• Land: a tool for climate change adaptation (Policy Brief 1) (UNCCD)
• Land: a tool for climate change adaptation (Policy Brief 2) (UNCCD)
• Managing environmentally-induced migration in drylands: The Win-Win Strategy (UNCCD)
• Mitigating Climate Change in Drylands – The Case for Financing Carbon Sequestration (UNCCD)
• World Drug Report 2013 (UNODC)
• UNESCO Science Report 2010 (UNESCO)
• The Fifth Global Environment Outlook (GEO-5) (UNEP)
• Our Planet: Rio+20: From Outcome to Implementation (UNEP)
• UNEP Year Book 2012:Emerging Issues in our Global Environment (UNEP)
• Blending Climate Finance Through National Climate Funds (UNEP)
• A summary of current climate change findings and figures (UNEP)
• Feed-in tariffs and a policy instrument for promoting renewable energies and green economies in developing countries (UNEP)
• Moving Towards a Climate Neutral UN: The UN Systems Footprint and Efforts to Reduce It (2011 edition) (UNEP)
• Ready, willing and able. Empowering countries to meet the climate challenge (UNEP)
• Green Economy in a Blue World (UNEP)
• Greening the Blue Helmets: Environment, Natural Resources and UN Peacekeeping Operations May 2012 (UNEP)
• Advancing justice, governance and law for environmental sustainability. Rio+20 and the World Congress of Chief Justices, Attorneys General and Auditors General (UNEP)
• Towards a Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment: Making informed choices on products (UNEP)
• Sustainable, Resource Efficient Cities. Making it Happen! (UNEP)
• The Business Case for the Green Economy: Sustainable Return on Investment (UNEP)
• Sustainable Consumption and Production for Poverty Alleviation (UNEP)
• Annual Report of the United Nations Office for Partnerships (UNFIP)
• The Global Report 2012 (UNHCR)
• Global Appeal 2013 (UNHCR)
• Gender and Prosperity of Cities , State of Women in Cities (UN-HABITAT)
• The State of Urban Youth 2012/2013 , Youth in the Prosperity of Cities (UN-HABITAT)
• Urban World: Cities and Land Rights (UN-HABITAT)
• Industrial Development Report (UNIDO)
• Annual Report 2011 United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS)
• A Guide on Transitioning Mine Action Programmes to National Ownership (UNMAS)
• Delivering sustainable results (UNOPS)
• Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP) , Confiscation of the Proceeds of IP Crime: A modern tool for deterring counterfeiting and piracy (UNICRI)
• State of World Population 2012: By Choice, Not By Chance: Family Planning, Human Rights and Development (UNFPA)
• The Demography of Adaptation to Climate Change (UNFPA)
• Combating Poverty and Inequality (Beyond 2015 Brief No. 1) (UNRISD)
• Inequalities and the Post-2015 Development Agenda (Beyond 2015 Brief No. 2) (UNRISD)
• Social Policy and Employment: Rebuilding the Connections (Beyond 2015 Brief No. 3) (UNRISD)
• Biological mechanisms of radiation actions at low doses. A white paper to guide the Scientific Committee's future programme of work (UNSCEAR)
• Progress of the World’s Women (UNWOMEN)
• World Survey on the Role of Women in Development (UNWOMEN)
• World Hunger Series: Hunger and Markets (WFP)
• World Health Report (WHO)
• WIPO Magazine (WIPO)
• WMO Bulletin (WMO)
• MeteoWorld (WMO)
• World Trade Report (WTO)
• “Measuring sustainable development”, Report of the Joint UNECE/OECD/Eurostat Working Group on Statistics for Sustainable Development (UN/OECD, 2008) ( PDF)
• The changing wealth of nations: measuring sustainable development in the New Millennium, (WB, 2011) ( PDF)

Outlooks

• World energy outlook (IEA)
• Global biodiversity outlook (CBD) GBO-3 , GBO-4
• World Water Futures until 2050 (UNWWAP )
• Water Scenarios for Europe and for Neighbouring States (SCENES)
• IMF World Economic Outlook (WEO) Update -- Growing Pains, July 2013
• OECD Economic Outlook, Volume 2013 Issue 1
• African Economic Outlook 2013 : Structural Transformation and Natural Resources
• Perspectives on Global Development 2013 : Industrial Policies in a Changing World (OECD)
• African Economic Outlook 2013 (ECA)
• Transport Trends and Economics 2011-2012 (ECE)
• Preliminary Overview of the Economies of Latin America and the Caribbean 2012 (ECLAC)
• Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Report 2012: Recent Trends and Developments (ESCAP)
• OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook (FAO)
• Crop Prospects and Food Situation (FAO)
• Food Outlook. Biannual report on global food markets (FAO)
• Nuclear Safety Review for the Year 2012 (IEAE)
• Global Employment Trends 2013: Recovering from a second jobs dip (ILO)
• Update (UNAIDS)
• Global Mercury Assessment 2013: Sources, emissions, releases, and environmental transport (UNEP)
• Global Land Tool Network Issue Jan-April 2013 Securing Land and Property Rights for All (UN-HABITAT)
• Cities and Climate Change Initiative Newsletter (September 2012) Cities and Climate Change Initiative Newsletter (UN-HABITAT)
• World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) (DESA)
• World Economic and Social Survey (WESS) (DESA)

The chapters of the Prototype Global Sustainable Development Report can be downloaded individually below:

1. Cover and acknowledgments
2. Table of contents
3. List of abbreviations and acronyms
4. Foreword
5. Chapter 1: Introduction
6. Chapter 2: Assessments for sustainable development
7. Chapter 3: Review of progress
8. Chapter 4: Visions, scenarios and future pathways toward sustainable development
9. Chapter 5: Measuring progress
10. Chapter 6: Special theme: The climate-land-energy-water-development nexus
11. Chapter 7: Selected science digests
12. Chapter 8: Issues for consideration
13. Annexes
14. End notes