On May 22, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) launched Measuring Progress: Environment and the SDGs, detailing the 92 environment-related indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), analyzing the progress made in achieving the SDG targets and identifying data gaps. The statistical approach used simple correlation analyses between indicator pairs related to the state of the environment and drivers of change, and the state of the environment and the state of society, to improve understanding of the interlinkages between SDG indicators. It also emphasized the importance of data disaggregation and fully populated SDGs to understand environmental and socio-economic interactions, and opportunities using innovative data techniques to close data gaps. Prof. Guo Huadong, Director General of CBAS, and Prof. Paul Ekins, University College London co-chaired an Expert Group to guide the drafting.
Prof. Guo participated in the launch of the report, and he pointed out that although data has grown and has been easier to access in recent years, data gaps still exist in the way of comprehensive assessment of global progress in environmental SDGs. The report discusses the possibilities of filling in data gaps through methods such as expanding data coverage, integrating existing data sources, popularizing science, and applying emerging technologies. He mentioned that CBAS will further promote the application of big data and other cutting-edge technologies in global environmental monitoring, and will fully support the work of UNEP and other relevant United Nations agencies in ecological protection and SDGs. They will also contribute to ensuring global ecological and environmental security and human well-being with efforts in scientific research.
This report builds upon insights and lessons learned from Measuring Progress: Towards Achieving the Environmental Dimension of the SDGs, the first publication of the series. It has received widespread attention from the international scientific community.
