To help Member States track their progress in meeting the sustainable production and consumption targets proposed under the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has published a paper on useful indicators. It is hoped that the indicators will be used to define tangible actions, measure progress in real-terms, and ensure that the Sustainable Development Goals have a transformative effect on regions around the world.

‘National energy efficiency’, ‘market share of goods and services certified by independently verified sustainability labelling schemes’, and ‘amount of R&D spending on environmentally sound technologies’ are just some of the indicators proposed. The document is designed to provide a scientific and practical basis for Member States to draft policies and legislation that support sustainable production and consumption.

Mindful that the achievement of more sustainable production and consumption will positively impact a range of fields, the authors have tried to develop indicators that can be applied to more than one target. The document also explores situations where accurate analysis of progress is impossible due to a lack of data, and situations where countries do not have a sufficient data gathering infrastructure in place.

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