Introduction

Welcome to the fifth edition of SDG Pulse – UNCTAD’s annual statistical publication reporting on developments relating to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development -—
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and the SDGs. The purpose of this report is threefold, to: provide an update on the evolution of a selection of official SDG indicators and complementary data and statistics; provide an update on progress in the development of new concepts and methodologies for SDG indicators for which UNCTAD is a global custodian agency; and to showcase how UNCTAD is supporting member States in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. This year for the first time, SDG Pulse monitors progress according to four transformations identified by UNCTAD’s intergovernmental meeting held in Bridgetown.

The report also investigates thematic issues of relevance to the 2030 Agenda – this year, the report discusses, as In-Focus topic, a global perspective on SDG costing with synergistic approaches. Halfway through the 2030 Agenda, information on how much is still needed to reach the SDGs is still scarce. Understanding the costs of achieving SDGs and synergies of spending by sector can support the formulation of effective strategies and policies to accelerate progress towards sustainable development in all countries.

The report is arranged in a way that it can be read by theme, and by goal and indicator.

Theme

In the theme view, the indicators are browsable by the four transformations outlined in the Bridgetown Covenant -—
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: multilateralism and trade, development finance, diversification, and sustainability and resilience. Through this thematic lens, progress towards a wide range of SDG indicators is discussed, including recent trends in trade, barriers to trade, and food security through trade; financial resource mobilization, investment, debt sustainability, illicit financial flows; sustainable industrialization, transport resilience, and digitalization; as well as risks to resilience, transition to sustainable economy and trade.

Goals and indicators

In the goals-and-indicators view, the content is presented by SDGs and their related indicators. The goals and indicators selected reflect UNCTAD’s mandate in trade and development, investment, finance, and technology. The SDG indicators are supplemented with other data and official statistics to complement the picture. The SDG indicators presented in this report are:

Goal 1Goal 2Goal 6Goal 8Goal 9Goal 10Goal 12Goal 14Goal 15Goal 16Goal 17

Goal 1: No poverty

  • Indicator 1.5.1: Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.
  • Indicator 1.5.2: Direct economic loss attributed to disasters in relation to global gross domestic product (GDP).

Goal 2: Zero hunger

  • Indicator 2.1.1: Prevalence of undernourishment.
  • Indicator 2.1.2: Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population, based on the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES).
  • Indicator 2.b.1: Agricultural export subsidies.
  • Indicator 2.c.1: Indicator of (food) price anomalies.

Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation.

  • Indicator 6.1.1: Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services.

Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth

  • Indicator 8.9.1: Tourism direct GDP as a proportion of total GDP and in growth rate
  • Indicator 8.a.1 Aid for Trade commitments and disbursements

Goal 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

  • Indicator 9.1.2: Passenger and freight volumes, by mode of transport.*
  • Indicator 9.2.1: Manufacturing value added as a proportion of GDP and per capita
  • Indicator 9.2.2: Manufacturing employment as a proportion of total employment
  • Indicator 9.4.1: CO2 emission per unit of value added
  • Indicator 9.5.1: Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP
  • Indicator 9.5.2: Researchers (in full-time equivalent) per million inhabitants
  • Indicator 9.b.1: Proportion of medium and high-tech industry value added in total value added
  • Indicator 9.c.1: Proportion of population covered by a mobile network, by technology

Goal 10: Reduce inequality

  • Indicator 10.a.1: Proportion of tariff lines with zero-tariff*
  • Indicator 10.b.1: Total resource flows for development

Goal 12: Responsible consumption & production

  • Indicator 12.5.1: National recycling rate, tons of material recycled.
  • Indicator 12.6.1: Number of companies publishing sustainability reports*

Goal 14: Life below water

  • Indicator 14.4.1: Proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels

Goal 15: Life on land

  • Indicator 15.1.1: Forest area as a proportion of total land area
  • Indicator 15.5.1: Red List Index

Goal 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions

  • Indicator 16.4.1: Total value of inward and outward illicit financial flows*

Goal 17: Partnership for the goals

  • Indicator 17.2.1: Net official development assistance, total and to LDCs
  • Indicator 17.3.1: Additional financial resources mobilized for developing countries from multiple sources*
  • Indicator 17.4.1: Debt service as a share of exports of goods and services
  • Indicator 17.5.1: Implement investment promotion regimes for LDCs*
  • Indicator 17.6.1: Fixed Internet broadband subscriptions
  • Indicator 17.8.1: Proportion of individuals using the Internet
  • Indicator 17.10.1: Worldwide weighted tariff-average*
  • Indicator 17.11.1 Developing countries and LDCs' share of global exports*
  • Indicator 17.12.1: Tariffs faced by developing countries, LDCs and SIDS*

The indicators for which UNCTAD is a custodian or co-custodian fall under goals 9, 10, 12, 16 and 17, covering topics related to trade, tariffs, development finance, debt, investment, sustainable transport, illicit financial flows, and enterprise sustainability.

Custodian agencies of SDG indicators, including UNCTAD, are responsible for developing international standards and recommending methodologies for monitoring SDG indicators. They are also tasked with compiling and verifying country data and metadata, and for submitting the data, along with regional and global aggregates, to the global SDG report and database updated by the United Nations Statistics Division.

To see UNCTAD custodian indicators and find related SDG Pulse sections, click on the graph.

UNCTAD in Action

This part presents some case studies from UNCTAD’s development programme from a statistical perspective – presenting UNCTAD’s activities and successes in hard numbers. These case studies are important as they also illustrate the Results Based Management approach adopted by UNCTAD – helping us to improve our responsiveness and accountability to member states. In 2023, new insights into UNCTAD’s activities in supporting member States are provided, e.g., in measuring South-South cooperation (SDG indicator 17.3.1), promoting ICT as a tool for development, and UNCTAD’s biotrade initiative.

In Focus

First experimental estimates of the cost of achieving selected SDG indicators across SDG transition pathways are discussed in this years’ In-Focus, as a contribution to a UN-wide effort. Each year, the SDG Pulse highlights a specific aspect of the 2030 Agenda and discuss this issue from the perspective of statistics.

Data and classifications

All data used in maps and charts can be downloaded by clicking on the top right of each data visualization.

Disclaimer

The designations employed and the presentation of material in this work do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

The Chagos Archipelago appears without prejudice to the question of sovereignty. A dispute exists between the Governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).

The final boundary between the Sudan and South Sudan has not yet been determined. The final status of the following territories has not yet been agreed or determined: Abyei area, Aksai Chin, Arunachal Pradesh, Bi’r Tawil, Hala’ib Triangle, Ilemi Triangle, Jammu and Kashmir, Kuril Islands, Paracel Islands, Scarborough Shoal, Senkaku Islands and Spratly Islands. Dashed lines represent undefined borders. Dotted line represents approximately the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and Pakistan.

The designations “developing” and “developed” are intended for statistical convenience and do not necessarily express a judgement about the stage reached by a particular country or area in the development process. UNCTAD’s grouping of developing and developed economies is based on the former development status classification of the M49 standard, with some recent updates. For more details, see the UNCTADstat classification page.

Acknowledgements

SDG Pulse was developed by the UNCTAD Statistics Service, led by Anu Peltola, Acting Director. The following staff of the Service prepared the statistics, analysis and design: Sana Al-Jadir, Nour Barnat, Sonia Blachier, Alexander Blackburn, Sanja Blazevic, Rachid Bouhia, Diana Camerini, Yoann Chaine, Richard Chalverat, Ekaterina Chernova, Flavine Creppy, David Cristallo, Denis Gervalle, Victoria Goudeva, Onno Hoffmeister, Daniel Hopp, Ildephonse Mbabazizimana, Bojan Nastav, Anu Peltola, Vania Robelo, Amandine Rushenguziminega, Benny Salo and Anton Sudzik.

The following UNCTAD experts contributed to the drafting of the report with statistics and analysis across divisions: Regina Asariotis, Mark Assaf, Hassiba Benamara, Omar Benyamina, Chantal Line Carpentier, Lorena Jaramillo Castro, Dominique Chantrel, Mathilde Closset, Claudia Contreras, Amelie Cournoyer, Yihong Gong, Robert Hamwey, Penelope Hawkins, Jan Hoffmann, David Jose Vivas Eugui, Daniel Ker, Tomasz Kulaga, Maxime Ladriere, Aurélie Legrand, Daniela Magalhaes Prates, Massimo Meloni, Samuel Munyaneza, Ngoc Nguyen, Alessandro Nicita, Ming Peng, Luisa Rodriguez, Henrique Silva Pacini Costa, Gerry Teeling, Lorenzo Tosini, Arlette Verploegh Chabot, David Jose Vivas Eugui, Frida Youssef and Yan Zhang. Wided Ben Moussa, Mohamed El Ghourabi and Abdelrahman Elsayed Morsy and Agrippine Tchuente Mvondo also contributed with their expertise.

In addition, external experts provided crucial support in drafting the report: Roberta Quadrelli (IEA), Oliver Schwank (UNDESA), Tim Strawson and Thomas Beloe (UNDP), Xuan Che, Animesh Kumar and Rahul Sengupta (UNDRR), Hernan Epstein, Martijn Kind and Antoine Vella (UNODC), Ginette Azcona, Antra Bhatt and Guillem Fortuny (UN Women).

Furthermore, the following UN volunteers provided essential support for the SDGs costing work: Muhammed Ahmad, Elisha Ambani, Amos Bationo, Christy Bibombe, Lotfi Feraga and Jean Martial Ntemde.

Notes

  • * Indicator for which UNCTAD is a custodian or co-custodian agency.

References

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