The Baltic Sea Region is the first region in the world to adopt common regional goals for sustainable development. These goals include an overall goal, goals for each of the seven Baltic 21 sectors and a goal for spatial planning.
In order to monitor the development in the Baltic Sea Region, a set of core indicators has been elaborated for each goal*, and statistics compiled.
Here you will find the Baltic 21 goals, the selected core indicators and the compiled statistics presented in graphs and tables. You also find the first Baltic 21 Biennial Report - Baltic 21 Series No 1/2000 (in PDF format) - presenting the progress in implementing the Baltic 21 Action Program and an assessment of the development in the Baltic Sea Region in relation to the Baltic 21 Goals. Since the Biennial Report does not include all the Baltic 21 indicators, a Baltic 21 Indicator Report - Baltic 21 Series No 2/2000 (also in PDF format) - has been produced, providing a full presentation of the selected indicators. The indicator report also contains a chapter on the mode of work for selecting the indicators and for compiling the needed statistics.
The monitoring of the Baltic 21 goals is an important part of the reporting to sector and environmental ministers. The aim is however also to inspire other regions, countries and local communities to set up goals for sustainable development and to start monitoring these goals. The target group for the Baltic 21 indicators further includes schools and universities, as well as the general public, hoping that the indicators can serve as a basis for discussions on criteria for sustainable development and what we need to do, on the individual, local, national, regional and global level, to progress towards sustainable development.
It is important to note that this is the first attempt to monitor the Baltic 21 goals and that the Baltic 21 indicators do not cover all aspects of sustainable development. Surely the indicators can be improved and this will be an ongoing process within Baltic 21. Despite limitations, the present set of indicators provides however important information on the development in the region of a number of parameters that are relevant for sustainable development.
* Indicators for spatial planning are incorporated into the sector or overall indicators.
| Produced by UNEP/GRID-Arendal for the Baltic 21 Secretariat |
Last updated: May 2000 |