A three-dimensional framework to evaluate biodiversity policy indicators applicable to both the global and national scales
Date
2021
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
The Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and Aichi Biodiversity Targets were adopted in 2010 to reduce the rapid decline of global biodiversity. However, the implementation of the global strategies at the national level has not been assessed and analyzed in a systematic way due to the lack of appropriate indicators. The necessity of compatible indicators that can be applied to both the global and national levels has been emphasized in multiple studies and international conventions including the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The primary focus of the current global efforts, on the other hand, is mostly on the global level. ☐ This study evaluates a set of global indicators identified by a detailed review of the research literature that can be applied to both the global and national scales and makes suggestions for improving indicators. It takes an integrated approach with three dimensions: indicators, criteria, and countries. Studies so far have not fully investigated national usability. Since the gap is larger in policy indicators than in scientific indicators, this study focuses on policy indicators. Thirteen global indicators, four criteria, and five countries are selected for the three-dimensional framework to evaluate biodiversity policy indicators. All 13 selected indicators are found to be usable at both the national and global scales. This study finds that data availability of indicators is high if there are data-collecting organizations, and indicators are used by more countries if they are simple or the use of them is encouraged by international organizations. Therefore, it is recommended to establish a data-collecting body and to encourage the use of indicators to enhance data availability and country-level usage. In terms of data availability, it is found that there is a capacity gap between developed and developing countries since data availability is higher in countries with higher GDP. Most of the indicators analyzed in this study do not have sufficient academic evidence to show whether the actual change in biodiversity can be projected by the indicators. After the evaluation, the dissertation proposes two indices for use in the future: NBSAP Index and Biodiversity ODA Index. These indices can identify information that could not be captured by the existing indicators. ☐ The three-dimensional framework in this study has three strengths: (a) the framework can be used as a basic tool to evaluate indicators, (b) internal and external factors that affect the institutional value of indicators can be analyzed, and (c) the framework can show patterns of data availability and current usage among countries to identify the capacity gap. It is expected that this three-dimensional framework would contribute to a better understanding of biodiversity policy indicators, leading to efficient and effective research in developing and improving indicators in the future.
Description
Keywords
Biodiversity, Convention on Biological Diversity, Indicator evaluation, Policy indicators