Hi! Welcome to IBGE Explains. Today’s topic is SDI, Sustainable Development Indicators!
Divide and rule! Let’s see what each word means and then we can understand what they represent and what the indicators are used for. First of all, indicators.
Broadly speaking, they are measures to evaluate the progress and the impact of certain events or actions in a given environment. For example, if a school records an overall increase of students’ grades in all the subjects, keeping the same correction methodology, we can say that indicates improvement in learning. Let’s now analyze Development.
The main thing here is that development does not mean increase. Increase merely refers to the change in figures. For example, suppose the school we talked about before had 2000 students in one year and, in the following one, that amount just doubled.
We say there was an increase in the number of students. We are dealing with a quantitative measure, then. Development, on the contrary, has to do with growth, and considers qualitative aspects.
In a school, development takes place when, besides a bigger number of students, there is also training for teachers, or separate waste collection initiatives, or even a more balanced meal. That is, there are more vacancies, and that’s positive since it allows more people to study, but there has been increase in quality too, and that’s not easily translated into figures. Finally, sustainable.
Sustainable relates to sustainability. Sustainability is the capacity of natural Earth systems and human cultural systems to survive, prosper and adapt to environmental conditions in the long run. The term sustainable development was coined in 1987 by the UN’s World Commission on Environment and Development.
In a report, this Commission presented a definition and set guiding principles. According to it, sustainable development “implies meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” So, it is easy to understand the SDI. They are parameters to assess development and to monitor its sustainanbility in all dimensions, that is, so that our sons, daughters and granchildren can live in a world of conscious consumption, and of more equality, transparency, with cultural and environmental diversity, etc.
This way we can avoid the apocalyptic future shown in disaster films, right? And also some mosquitoes that fly around biting everyone. That’s why development has to be sustainable.
And to conduct SDI survey, the IBGE considered some recommendations from the UN and came up with 63 indicators. These indicators are aimed at defining and supporting the sustainable development process at national level, and at showing the diversity that characterizes us. The 63 indicators have been split into four dimensions: environmental, social, economic and institutional.
The environmental dimension encompasses 19 indicators. They refer to the objectives of environmental preservation and conservation, considered essential for quality of life. These objectives are classified into: atmosphere, fresh water, oceans and coastal areas, biodiversity and sanitation.
The social dimension is formed by 21 indicators which correspond, mainly, to the objectives regarding satisfaction of human needs, improvement of life quality and social justice. These include the topics population, labor and income, health, education, housing and security. The economic dimension, in its turn, has 11 indicators and deals with the use and depletion of natural resources, the production and management of residue, the use of energy and macroeconomic and financial development of the country.
Finally, the institutional dimention has 12 indicators. It has to do with political guidance, capacity and efforts made by the government and by society to effect the necessary changes so that sustainable development becomes a reality. The indicators are not an end it itself, but are a means to reach sustainable development.
So, they are more useful when seen in together rather than when analyzed separately. When we analyze more indicators, and combine data, we can draw more accurate conclusions and even be surprised! There is no doubt we can find ways to associate almost all the indicators presented.
Don’t miss our SDI publication! There you will find data and information that are easy to understand, and also several charts, graphs and maps! The data presented there have come from studies and surveys conducted by the IBGE and by other several bodies working in partnership with it.
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