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40.1. In sustainable development, everyone is a user and provider of information
considered in the broad sense. That includes data, information, appropriately
packaged experience and knowledge. The need for information arises at all
levels, from that of senior decision makers at the national and international
levels to the grass-roots and individual levels. The following two programme
areas need to be implemented to ensure that decisions are based increasingly
on sound information:
PROGRAMME AREAS
A) Bridging the data gap;
Basis for action
40.2. While considerable data already exist, as the various sectoral chapters
of Agenda 21 indicate, more and different types of data need to be collected,
at the local, provincial, national and international levels, indicating the
status and trends of the planet's ecosystem, natural resource, pollution
and socio-economic variables. The gap in the availability, quality, coherence,
standardization and accessibility of data between the developed and the
developing world has been increasing, seriously impairing the capacities
of countries to make informed decisions concerning environment and
development.
40.3. There is a general lack of capacity, particularly in developing countries,
and in many areas at the international level, for the collection and assessment
of data, for their transformation into useful information and for their
dissemination. There is also need for improved coordination among environmental,
demographic, social and developmental data and information
activities.
40.4. Commonly used indicators such as the gross national product (GNP) and
measurements of individual resource or pollution flows do not provide adequate
indications of sustainability. Methods for assessing interactions between
different sectoral environmental, demographic, social and developmental
parameters are not sufficiently developed or applied. Indicators of sustainable
development need to be developed to provide solid bases for decision-making
at all levels and to contribute to a self-regulating sustainability of integrated
environment and development systems.
Objectives
40.5. The following objectives are important:
(a) To achieve more cost-effective and relevant data collection and assessment by better identification of users, in both the public and private sectors, and of their information needs at the local, provincial, national and international levels;(b) To strengthen local, provincial, national and international capacity to collect and use multisectoral information in decision-making processes and to enhance capacities to collect and analyse data and information for decision-making, particularly in developing countries;
(c) To develop or strengthen local, provincial, national and international means of ensuring that planning for sustainable development in all sectors is based on timely, reliable and usable information;
(d) To make relevant information accessible in the form and at the time required to facilitate its use.
Activities
A) Development of indicators of sustainable development
40.6. Countries at the national level and international governmental and
non-governmental organizations at the international level should develop
the concept of indicators of sustainable development in order to identify
such indicators. In order to promote the increasing use of some of those
indicators in satellite accounts, and eventually in national accounts, the
development of indicators needs to be pursued by the Statistical Office of
the United Nations Secretariat, as it draws upon evolving experience in this
regard.
B) Promotion of global use of indicators of sustainable development
40.7. Relevant organs and organizations of the United Nations system, in
cooperation with other international governmental, intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations, should use a suitable set of sustainable
development indicators and indicators related to areas outside of national
jurisdiction, such as the high seas, the upper atmosphere and outer space.
The organs and organizations of the United Nations system, in coordination
with other relevant international organizations, could provide recommendations
for harmonized development of indicators at the national, regional and global
levels, and for incorporation of a suitable set of these indicators in common,
regularly updated, and widely accessible reports and databases, for use at
the international level, subject to national sovereignty considerations.
C) Improvement of data collection and use
40.8. Countries and, upon request, international organizations should carry
out inventories of environmental, resource and developmental data, based
on national/global priorities for the management of sustainable development.
They should determine the gaps and organize activities to fill those gaps.
Within the organs and organizations of the United Nations system and relevant
international organizations, data-collection activities, including those
of Earthwatch and World Weather Watch, need to be strengthened, especially
in the areas of urban air, freshwater, land resources (including forests
and rangelands), desertification, other habitats, soil degradation, biodiversity,
the high seas and the upper atmosphere. Countries and international organizations
should make use of new techniques of data collection, including satellite-based
remote sensing. In addition to the strengthening of existing development-related
data collection, special attention needs to be paid to such areas as demographic
factors, urbanization, poverty, health and rights of access to resources,
as well as special groups, including women, indigenous peoples, youth, children
and the disabled, and their relationships with environment issues.
D) Improvement of methods of data assessment and analysis
40.9. Relevant international organizations should develop practical
recommendations for coordinated, harmonized collection and assessment of
data at the national and international levels. National and international
data and information centres should set up continuous and accurate
data-collection systems and make use of geographic information systems, expert
systems, models and a variety of other techniques for the assessment and
analysis of data. These steps will be particularly relevant, as large quantities
of data from satellite sources will need to be processed in the future. Developed
countries and international organizations, as well as the private sector,
should cooperate, in particular with developing countries, upon request,
to facilitate their acquiring these technologies and this know-how.
E) Establishment of a comprehensive information framework
40.10. Governments should consider undertaking the necessary institutional
changes at the national level to achieve the integration of environmental
and developmental information. At the international level, environmental
assessment activities need to be strengthened and coordinated with efforts
to assess development trends.
F) Strengthening of the capacity for traditional information
40.11. Countries, with the cooperation of international organizations, should
establish supporting mechanisms to provide local communities and resource
users with the information and know-how they need to manage their environment
and resources sustainably, applying traditional and indigenous knowledge
and approaches when appropriate. This is particularly relevant for rural
and urban populations and indigenous, women's and youth groups.
Means of implementation
A) Financing and cost evaluation
40.12. The secretariat of the Conference has estimated the average total
annual cost (1993-2000) of implementing the activities of this programme
to be about $1.9 billion from the international community on grant or
concessional terms. These are indicative and order-of-magnitude estimates
only and have not been reviewed by Governments. Actual costs and financial
terms, including any that are non-concessional, will depend upon, inter alia,
the specific strategies and programmes Governments decide upon for
implementation.
(B) Institutional means
40.13. Institutional capacity to integrate environment and development and
to develop relevant indicators is lacking at both the national and international
levels. Existing institutions and programmes such as the Global Environmental
Monitoring System (GEMS) and the Global Resource Information Database (GRID)
within UNEP and different entities within the systemwide Earthwatch will
need to be considerably strengthened. Earthwatch has been an essential element
for environment-related data. While programmes related to development data
exist in a number of agencies, there is insufficient coordination between
them. The activities related to development data of agencies and institutions
of the United Nations system should be more effectively coordinated, perhaps
through an equivalent and complementary "Development Watch", which with the
existing Earthwatch should be coordinated through an appropriate office within
the United Nations to ensure the full integration of environment and development
concerns.
C) Scientific and technological means
40.14. Regarding transfer of technology, with the rapid evolution of data-collection and information technologies it is necessary to develop guidelines and mechanisms for the rapid and continuous transfer of those technologies, particularly to developing countries, in conformity with chapter 34 (Transfer of environmentally sound technology, cooperation and capacity-building), and for the training of personnel in their utilization.
D) Human resource development
40.15. International cooperation for training in all areas and at all levels
will be required, particularly in developing countries. That training will
have to include technical training of those involved in data collection,
assessment and transformation, as well as assistance to decision makers
concerning how to use such information.
E) Capacity-building
40.16. All countries, particularly developing countries, with the support
of international cooperation, should strengthen their capacity to collect,
store, organize, assess and use data in decision-making more
effectively.
B) Improving availability of information
Basis for action
40.17. There already exists a wealth of data and information that could be
used for the management of sustainable development. Finding the appropriate
information at the required time and at the relevant scale of aggregation
is a difficult task.
40.18. Information within many countries is not adequately managed, because
of shortages of financial resources and trained manpower, lack of awareness
of the value and availability of such information and other immediate or
pressing problems, especially in developing countries. Even where information
is available, it may not be easily accessible, either because of the lack
of technology for effective access or because of associated costs, especially
for information held outside the country and available commercially.
Objectives
40.19. Existing national and international mechanisms of information processing
and exchange, and of related technical assistance, should be strengthened
to ensure effective and equitable availability of information generated at
the local, provincial, national and international levels, subject to national
sovereignty and relevant intellectual property rights.
40.20. National capacities should be strengthened, as should capacities within
Governments, non-governmental organizations and the private sector, in
information handling and communication, particularly within developing
countries.
40.21. Full participation of, in particular, developing countries should
be ensured in any international scheme under the organs and organizations
of the United Nations system for the collection, analysis and use of data
and information.
Activities
A) Production of information usable for decision-making
40.22. Countries and international organizations should review and strengthen
information systems and services in sectors related to sustainable development,
at the local, provincial, national and international levels. Special emphasis
should be placed on the transformation of existing information into forms
more useful for decision-making and on targeting information at different
user groups. Mechanisms should be strengthened or established for transforming
scientific and socio-economic assessments into information suitable for both
planning and public information. Electronic and non-electronic formats should
be used.
B) Establishment of standards and methods for handling information
40.23. Governments should consider supporting the efforts of governmental
as well as non-governmental organizations to develop mechanisms for efficient
and harmonized exchange of information at the local, national, provincial
and international levels, including revision and establishment of data, access
and dissemination formats, and communication interfaces.
C) Development of documentation about information
40.24. The organs and organizations of the United Nations system, as well
as other governmental and non-governmental organizations, should document
and share information about the sources of available information in their
respective organizations. Existing programmes, such as those of the Advisory
Committee for the Coordination of Information Systems (ACCIS) and the
International Environmental Information System (INFOTERRA), should be reviewed
and strengthened as required. Networking and coordinating mechanisms should
be encouraged between the wide variety of other actors, including arrangements
with non-governmental organizations for information sharing and donor activities
for sharing information on sustainable development projects. The private
sector should be encouraged to strengthen the mechanisms of sharing its
experience and information on sustainable development.
D) Establishment and strengthening of electronic networking
capabilities
40.25. Countries, international organizations, including organs and organizations
of the United Nations system, and non-governmental organizations should exploit
various initiatives for electronic links to support information sharing,
to provide access to databases and other information sources, to facilitate
communication for meeting broader objectives, such as the implementation
of Agenda 21, to facilitate intergovernmental negotiations, to monitor
conventions and efforts for sustainable development to transmit environmental
alerts, and to transfer technical data. These organizations should also
facilitate the linkage of different electronic networks and the use of
appropriate standards and communication protocols for the transparent interchange
of electronic communications. Where necessary, new technology should be developed
and its use encouraged to permit participation of those not served at present
by existing infrastructure and methods. Mechanisms should also be established
to carry out the necessary transfer of information to and from non-electronic
systems to ensure the involvement of those not able to participate in this
way.
E) Making use of commercial information sources
40.26. Countries and international organizations should consider undertaking
surveys of information available in the private sector on sustainable development
and of present dissemination arrangements to determine gaps and how those
gaps could be filled by commercial or quasi-commercial activity, particularly
activities in and/or involving developing countries where feasible. Whenever
economic or other constraints on supplying and accessing information arise,
particularly in developing countries, innovative schemes for subsidizing
such information-related access or removing the non-economic constraints
should be considered.
Means of implementation
A) Financing and cost evaluation
40.27. The secretariat of the Conference has estimated the average total
annual cost (1993-2000) of implementing the activities of this programme
to be about $165 million from the international community on grant or
concessional terms. These are indicative and order-of-magnitude estimates
only and have not been reviewed by Governments. Actual costs and financial
terms, including any that are non-concessional, will depend upon, inter alia,
the specific strategies and programmes Governments decide upon for
implementation.
B) Institutional means
40.28. The institutional implications of this programme concern mostly the
strengthening of already existing institutions, as well as the strengthening
of cooperation with non-governmental organizations, and need to be consistent
with the overall decisions on institutions made by the United Nations Conference
on Environment and Development.
C) Capacity-building
40.29. Developed countries and relevant international organizations should
cooperate, in particular with developing countries, to expand their capacity
to receive, store and retrieve, contribute, disseminate, use and provide
appropriate public access to relevant environmental and developmental
information, by providing technology and training to establish local information
services and by supporting partnership and cooperative arrangements between
countries and on the regional or subregional level.
D) Scientific and technological means
40.30. Developed countries and relevant international organizations should support research and development in hardware, software and other aspects of information technology, in particular in developing countries, appropriate to their operations, national needs and environmental contexts.
