Feasibility Study for a Black Sea SDGs Observatory ^†

Abstract

This paper presents the outcomes of the project titled: ‘’Feasibility Study for a Black Sea SDGs Observatory’’, financed by the Black Sea Project Promotion Facility. The project was assigned to the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the Financial University of Russia. The Observatory will constitute one of the main divisions of the regional UN SDSN (United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network) Black Sea. The paper presents the need for establishing a Black Sea SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) Observatory, the methodology followed, and the expected results of its creation.

1. Introduction

During the COVID-19 crisis, the necessity of timely, high-quality, open, and disaggregated data and statistics was never more apparent. Such information is crucial for understanding, managing, and reducing the pandemic’s human, societal, and economic consequences. They are also necessary for developing short-term reactions and action plans to get countries back on track to meet the SDGs.

COVID-19 responses are significantly limited due to many of the data problems observed during the first five years of SDG implementation. The lack of basic health, social, and economic data is one of them. To make matters worse, the crisis is affecting normal operations across the global statistical and data system, delaying scheduled censuses, surveys, and other data programs.

Members of the statistical community have quickly responded by adapting and inventing data production methods and processes to assure operational continuity. Investments and support for data innovation are urgently needed, according to various assessments of statistical operations around the world. These will aid policy responses to the crisis, as well as initiatives to accelerate SDG progress over the next decade.

It is a pivotal period to advance a shared vision and speed up remedies to the world’s most pressing problems, from ending poverty and hunger to reversing climate change. The rapid spread of the novel coronavirus, however, turned a public health situation into one of the worst worldwide crises of our lives, forever altering the world as we know it.

Now, the COVID-19 pandemic has quickly become the worst human and economic crisis of our lifetime, spreading to all countries, with the global death toll exceeding 500,000, and the number of confirmed cases at more than 10 million people.

“As Member States recognized at the SDG Summit held last September, global efforts to date have been insufficient to deliver the change we need, jeopardizing the Agenda’s promise to current and future generations”, quoted UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “Now, due to COVID-19, an unprecedented health, economic and social crisis is threatening lives and livelihoods, making the achievement of Goals even more challenging.” [1]

This annual stocktaking report on progress toward the 17 Goals, based on the most recent data and estimates, shows that the poorest and most vulnerable people—including children, the elderly, people with disabilities, migrants, and refugees—are the ones who are most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Women are also bearing the heaviest brunt of the pandemic’s effects.

In the context presented above, the Black Sea Project Promotion Facility (BSPPF) funded the project titled: ‘’Feasibility Study for a Black Sea SDGs Observatory’’, after the successful application submitted by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the Financial University of Russia.

The Observatory will constitute one of the primary divisions of the regional SDSN Black Sea’, and will serve as a hub for the promotion of the UN SDGs in the countries of the Black Sea area.

This paper intends to communicate this initiative to the scientific community and to solicit assistance from authorities, specialists, and agencies in the Black Sea region, which will be required at the next and most important step, which will be the Observatory’s real funding and operation.

2. Methodology

The need to achieve sustainable economic development meets a range of common challenges, and the effort to mitigate the consequences of climate change can provide powerful incentives for joint action in a regional format. These should be exploited in order to generate complementarities within which economic cooperation at a regional level may develop despite the many divergences and different priorities of the states in question.

The principles of sustainable development should be the guiding philosophy of regional cooperation in the Black Sea area. The Black Sea area is depicted in Figure 1.

At present, there is no well-timed prompt relevant report on the socio-economic state of the Black Sea countries issued on a permanent basis.

The monitoring center reveals the potential changes of the current processes and signals to the authorities to undertake the necessary measures in the region that could contribute to sustained and inclusive economic growth; which, in turn, can drive progress, create decent jobs for all, and improve living standards.

The methodology adopted for the Feasibility Study includes the following steps:

• The current reporting patters of the different Black Sea countries will be identified using, as a main source, countries’ voluntary reports;
• A comparative analysis will be held which emphasizes the deviations (reporting alignment index) of SDGs reporting patterns across countries;
• The Architecture of the Black Sea Observatory, as well as the procedures and the algorithms regarding data handling, will be presented. Moreover, the conceptual model and its main functions regarding the Observatory’s monitoring system for the data handling will be analyzed;
• The composition of necessary spaces for the headquarters of the Observatory will be described;
• Definition of activities of the relevant directorates and units of the Observatory;
• The financial sustainability of the Observatory, as well as its Business Plan and Future challenges, will be discussed.

3. Expected Results

The project’s final output, titled the ‘’Feasibility Study for a Black Sea SDGs Observatory’’, will address the following areas: (i) existing data sources related to the calculation of the SDGs in the Black Sea Region, (ii) the lack and need of data and the contribution of the Observatory, (iii) the Observatory’s objectives and goals, and (iv) challenges in the Observatory’s establishment.

3.1. Existing Data Sources Related to the Calculation of the SDGs in the Black Sea Region

All of the Black Sea Region countries need to collect data from various sources in order to calculate their SDGs and monitor the current status of their country. Each country collects data from both national and global organizations. A reliable source of data is the United Nations organization with historical data for each country, as well as the reports conducted from both the UN [2,3] and the SDSN [4,5]. Of course, each country can utilize their National Statistical Agencies, which collect a huge amount of data throughout the year.

Additionally, other potential sources can be found in sector specific data and information from ministries and other authorities, as well as through data from sector specific policy documents which involved specific performance indicators. A variety of information can be collected from businesses and other stakeholders through meetings and discussions, which is often necessary for better understanding of underlying issues.

3.2. The Lack and Need of Data and the Contribution of the Observatory

As mentioned in the previous section, each country collects a huge amount of data. However, many of the SDG indicators in each country are empty, and as a matter of fact, they cannot be assessed. Thus, the Observatory will be observing, registering, assessing, combining and analyzing the latest available data relevant to climate action, and the sustainable use of resources and society regarding the countries participating in the Observatory. Through data analysis, it will identify strengths and weaknesses regarding the practices followed for the collection and evaluation of the data by the national authorities of the participating countries. Furthermore, after creating a satisfying database, the Observatory will be able to suggest new methods, new techniques, and/or new indexes that might help the statistical authorities observe and describe fundamental information regarding the needed data or that might lead to better data registration. To be successful, the Observatory will be in constant communication with national and international authorities who register relevant data.

3.3. The Observatory’s Objectives and Goals

The objectives and the goals of the Observatory are manifold and can be summarized in the following points.

The Observatory has the potential to contribute to the development of knowledge regarding sustainable development and to make the SDGs Black Sea region Observatory a world-class level centre in science and education. It can also encourage the development of innovative and efficient services that meet the needs of many potential users (public or private sector). Additionally, a stronger link between research and education, as well as the private sector, can be established in order to create more jobs by laying the groundwork for long-term development through increasing economic competitiveness.

Furthermore, the Observatory can increase the interest of graduates in specific scientific fields, fostering a more focused specialization, and assist in addressing societal challenges in a variety of fields covered by the Sustainable Development Goals (poverty, hunger, quality education, affordable and clean energy, industry, innovation and infrastructure, among others) in the Black Sea region. Moreover, it can strengthen and enhance the Black Sea region research area by developing more efficient international research systems and ensuring strong transnational collaboration through open access and transformation of knowledge.

Last but not least, by promoting a research environment on themes related to sustainable development, the Observatory can reduce possible brain drain in specific areas and/or scientific disciplines across the Black Sea region, convincing scientists and students not to transfer somewhere else.

3.4. Challenges in the Observatory’s Establishment

Although the establishment of an SDG Observatory in the Black Sea region is a promising and a robust step in the measuring of the SDG implementation performance, that will give better insight regarding the countries of the Black Sea region, several challenges remain, that need to be tackled to effectively deploy and operate the Observatory.

One of the main challenges is getting in touch with the offices and the institutes that currently monitor the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in each country. Within the scope of the preliminary report [6], we have tried contacting the people referenced in the Voluntary National Reports (VNRs) [7] and the National Statistical Institutes of each country, but very few responded. As a matter of fact, few countries have appointed certain officers that are tasked with observing and monitoring sustainability. Therefore, identifying and communicating with specific people that are needed to aid in the Observatory’s establishment remains a challenge.

Moreover, National Statistical Institutes and Offices will be needed to share their data with the Observatory. This might run into several obstacles, as some Governments might not be favorable in sharing their countries’ statistics and data with an international and multi-national organization, as the Observatory will be.

Finally, the establishment and operation of the Observatory for the first few years will require funding. Thus, a major issue that needs to be addressed is the source of funding and whether it will be constant, for instance in the form of an annual subscription of the National Institutes of Statistics to participate or not.

3.5. Benefits of the Observatory’s Establishment

The benefits of research and policy infrastructures, such as the Black Sea SDGs Observatory, are not easily captured, due to the diversity of potential projects that can be undertaken. New enterprises, such as such as start-ups and spin-offs, for example, may use the Observatory’s data to improve or evolve their services. Large corporations involved in research and providing services related to smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, relevant research infrastructures and/or competence centers in collaboration with universities or other companies, may also benefit from the development of innovative products and services based on the Observatory’s work. In general, the establishment of the Observatory will be a positive externality for the private sector.

The Observatory will also aid in the applied research of researchers, academics and young professionals, while they will also benefit from the contemporary scientific literature that is expected to be published. Furthermore, the training of undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD students could be enhanced by activities related to the actions of the Observatory.

The innovative research and the monitoring methods that are expected to be developed in the Black Sea SDGs Observatory will assist in cost reduction related to big risks, such as climate change effects, extreme natural catastrophes, etc.

Moreover, the regional impact of the Observatory’s establishment is expected to be major from both a monetary and non-monetary perspective.

High quality personnel will be attracted by the operation of the Observatory, contributing to the enhancing of the social capital of the Black Sea region and the overall improvement of the quality of both academic research in general and the institutions that participate in the Observatory’s initiatives.

The integration of SDGs in the domestic policies of the Black Sea countries will be easier and more effective after the establishment of the SDG Observatory, which will optimize the process of tracking and integrating the SDG indicators by tracking and analyzing the best and most effective practices implemented among the participating countries, after taking into account aspects that impede sustainable development. In addition, timely monitoring of the main drivers and data aggregation for SDGs through the Observatory could positively affect further development of the Black Sea region.

4. Discussion and Conclusions

Monitoring the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals is a crucial step for achieving the targets set by the Agenda 2030 for inclusive and equal societies, that respect and secure human rights and ensure the lasting protection of the natural resources and the planet. Efficient monitoring requires suitable data and the use of advanced data analysis techniques to fully describe the progress towards sustainability in a country or a region.

Taking into account that the region consists of many states with various similarities and differences, that share the fragile ecosystem of the Black Sea, the need for data and region-specific reports is imminent to achieve sustainability. Thus, the establishment of an Observatory tasked with following the implementation of the SDGs and aiding the relevant states for improved data collection is necessary.

The Observatory will comprise a database which will be organized as a collection of structured information on SDGs dynamics in the region, through which a systematization and presentation of SDG data via easily accessible periodical reports will be achieved. Consequently, potential effect of the Observatory on the Black Sea region includes:

• Forehanded information update, by mapping the already existing research, innovation and technology in the Black Sea region, using an interactive platform, aligning them with the SDGs and developing a set of regional policy and entrepreneurial priorities.
• Key issues identification by country. Policy makers of each country will be able to assess the extent to which policy objectives have been fulfilled and provide a basis for identifying strengths and weaknesses and making necessary adjustments in their national policy and government programs.
• Best practices and practice recommendation list, providing the member states with a sophisticated analytical tool containing the best practices followed by country and how they could be implemented.
• Investor attraction. Quantitative indicators of SDGs are highly effective in drawing attention of business regulation, identifying priorities for cooperation, communicating success and progress. Thus, the operation of the Observatory will aid in the attraction of foreign direct investments in the Black Sea region.
• Collaboration hub. The Observatory will be a main factor of collaboration by promoting regional linkage, intra-regional bonding and globalization of local economies through regional and international cooperation.
• Educational hub. The Observatory’s operation will stipulate educational programs and training programs for the staff and relevant parties. Its educational function is expected to increase the level of socio-economic culture of the whole region, preparing highly qualified specialists and promoting the development of public diplomacy.

Of course, the establishment of an international organization faces many challenges, such as establishing cooperation with the National Statistical Offices and Institutes, gaining the trust of the relevant states, and ensuring funding for the first years of operation, but the advantages of establishing an SDGs Black Sea Observatory overweigh the aforementioned challenges, as its creation is a major step forward towards implementing sustainability in the Black Sea area.