The research will comprise four interrelated work packages (WP) as follows:
WP 1 – Review and Identification of Data Gaps:
The WP comprises 2 key subtasks:
Subtask 1.1 will review the international academic and official evidence base on the design of effective MSPs for policy purposes at national, regional and global levels. A wide range of literature will be reviewed under this task including literature from environmental sustainable management, political science, development studies, urban studies, economics and sociology. In addition, official reports from national, EU and international bodies (e.g. UN) will be assessed for relevance to improving best practice. The core aim of this subtask is to establish an evidence-base that can be mobilised in WP3.
Subtask 1.2 will identify environmentally related UN and EU SDG indicators according to whether the indicators are directly or indirectly related to the environment. It will examine data sources for these indicators and identify data gaps. The UN Metadata,provided for national use to specify the exact data needs of the UN SDG indicators, will be used to make accurate
predictions about possible data holders and data availability (United Nations Statistical Commission, 2016). The level of
availability of the data, and the identification of possible data holders, will be determined in collaboration with the Central
Statistics Office in Dublin. Subtask 1.2 will contribute to the evidence base for an assessment of Ireland’s status on the
environmental SDGs in WP2.
WP 2 – Indicators: SDG Policy Gaps and Conflicts:
This WP aims to provide a national environmental SDG index to ENHANCE THE EVIDENCE BASE on the current environmental status of Ireland in relation to the SDGs. The project will collect data on the environmental, socio-environmental and economic environmental UN and EU SDG indicators and create a data map of available environmental data. Indicators will be classified into three different tiers based on data availability predictions according to the IAEG tier system. In this sense, the result of this work package will also feed directly back into a re-assessment of the data gaps outlined in WP1 to determine if the findings from this work package confirm if data availability is higher for economic-environmental indicators than for the social-environmental or environmental indicator. The data for the chosen indicators will be collected in collaboration with different data holders as identified in WP1. The WP has five subtasks as follows:
Subtask 2.1 will collect, synthesize and classify data for a national environmental SDG index based on the UN and EU SDG indicator sets according to the IAEG tier system.
Subtask 2.2 involves the review of existing methodologies for constructing composite indices for monitoring progress on the SDGs at the international level and an assessment of the appropriateness of these methodologies and data for application and transfer to the Irish context. In particular, this subtask will determine the relevance of SDG index methodologies for Ireland and specifically whether or not data exists to implement such approaches nationally. We will also address problems associated with establishing appropriate weighting schemes for national SDG indices in view of potential interdependencies between the SDGs.
Based on tasks 2.1 – 2.2, subtask 2.3. will develop a national environmental SDG index in line with international best practice. In particular, we will use the index to provide an assessment of Ireland’s current environmental position in relation to the SDGs. We will also rank our findings by goal and by indicator from best to worst, present regional snapshots
and identify emerging trends to the extent that the existence of past data enables us to.
The findings of this task enable the analysis of subtask 2.4 and 2.5 which will identify gaps in Irish policy and environmental legislation relative to global and EU-level SDG indicators. It will produce a hierarchical matrix of SDGs that identifies and links the findings of the national SDG index to existing Irish policy and legislation.
The proposal allows for the identification not only of policy and legislative gaps but also for the identification of overlaps between SDGs and the identification of environmental policy priorities that can help to assess how best to align Ireland’s current and future environmental policy with the SDGs going forward.
In particular, these subtasks involve an identification of environmental problems that are impeding progress on
the SDGs based on the results of subtask 2.3. A review of Irish environmental legislation, politics and strategies in these
areas will be conducted, and also in areas that are positively or negatively linked to this particular goal or target through
interdependences between the SDGs. Subtask 2.5 will develop a set of criteria for identifying areas that warrant immediate
intervention in relation to the SDGs. The results of this WP will provide the first comprehensive assessment of Ireland’s
current environmental status in relation to the SDGs. This will set a baseline from which research and policy on national
monitoring of the SDGs can be assessed and improved into the future. Furthermore, it will identify a set of priority areas
and SDG policy gaps for delivering on the environmental SDGs.
WP 3 – Governance for the SDGs:
The aim of WP3 is to provide a national benchmark study of governance institutions for the SDGs; it will be the first report of its kind in Ireland to investigate how government institutions can be adapted to incorporate MSPs for the delivery of the environmental SDGs.
The WP has five subtasks:
Subtask 3.1 reviews past and current national multi-stakeholder initiatives with a focus on the Irish case. In particular, it will review academic literature and national policy documents on MSPs in Ireland.
Subtask 3.2 will analyse current national policy structures and assess issues and challenges in formulating and advancing multi-stakeholder agreements in the environmental area. It will analyse the distinctive features of environmental problems and their contribution to the governance and institutional challenge. It will also consider the implications of international spillovers for the appropriate level to implement MSPs in a regional context.
These subtasks prepare the way for Subtask 3.3 which involves conducting fifteen interviews in person with policy makers and key stakeholders who have experience in MSPs to identify factors which contributed to successful MSPs and ways for improving their design. This work will involve seven interviews with representatives of Irish stakeholder groups and policy makers to map the national stakeholder landscape for environmental SDG policy. Eight interviews will be conducted with American (four) and other European stakeholders (four) involved in the UN High-level Political Forums (HLPFs), including civil society groups, academics and government officials as well as members of the Open Working Groups that designed the SDGs.
Subtasks 3.4 and 3.5. will deliver PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS FOR BEST PRACTICES on how to design MSPs that can be adapted to an Irish context in order to address priority areas for the environmental SDGs in Ireland and identify potential opportunities and risks arising from aligning national policy towards delivering the SDGs. This task will also address the appropriate level, national or regional, for implementing MSPs in identified priority areas and will thus build on the analysis of Subtask 3.2.
WP 4 – Recommendations, Knowledge Gaps and Future Roadmap:
This WP focuses on translating KNOWLEDGE TO RECOMMENDATIONS for ACTION. The overall objective of this WP is to translate the knowledge gained through WPs 1-3 into concrete policy and practice recommendations and an assessment of data needs to support the future development of a monitoring framework.
In this regard subtask 4.1. will develop capacity for a monitoring framework by identifying monitoring and reporting data needs, and subtask 4.2. will develop a ‘how to’ guide for policymakers which will provide practical guidance on how integrate inclusive institutions into environmental policy formulation and implementation in identified priority areas. The assessment of data needs and the ‘How To’ Guide will be key deliverables for the dissemination of project findings to our core audiences.
Subtask 4.3. will identify knowledge gaps and emerging research needs in relation to the UN SDGs implementation, monitoring and reporting in Ireland. The WP also includes the delivery of a final project report, synthesis report and summary research findings, which will include a broader series of policy and practice recommendations. Post-project dissemination is outlined in Section C, and will include a dissemination workshop that will be of educational benefit to policymakers and all relevant stakeholders.
WP 1 – Review and Identification of Data Gaps:
The WP comprises 2 key subtasks:
Subtask 1.1 will review the international academic and official evidence base on the design of effective MSPs for policy purposes at national, regional and global levels. A wide range of literature will be reviewed under this task including literature from environmental sustainable management, political science, development studies, urban studies, economics and sociology. In addition, official reports from national, EU and international bodies (e.g. UN) will be assessed for relevance to improving best practice. The core aim of this subtask is to establish an evidence-base that can be mobilised in WP3.
Subtask 1.2 will identify environmentally related UN and EU SDG indicators according to whether the indicators are directly or indirectly related to the environment. It will examine data sources for these indicators and identify data gaps. The UN Metadata,provided for national use to specify the exact data needs of the UN SDG indicators, will be used to make accurate
predictions about possible data holders and data availability (United Nations Statistical Commission, 2016). The level of
availability of the data, and the identification of possible data holders, will be determined in collaboration with the Central
Statistics Office in Dublin. Subtask 1.2 will contribute to the evidence base for an assessment of Ireland’s status on the
environmental SDGs in WP2.
WP 2 – Indicators: SDG Policy Gaps and Conflicts:
This WP aims to provide a national environmental SDG index to ENHANCE THE EVIDENCE BASE on the current environmental status of Ireland in relation to the SDGs. The project will collect data on the environmental, socio-environmental and economic environmental UN and EU SDG indicators and create a data map of available environmental data. Indicators will be classified into three different tiers based on data availability predictions according to the IAEG tier system. In this sense, the result of this work package will also feed directly back into a re-assessment of the data gaps outlined in WP1 to determine if the findings from this work package confirm if data availability is higher for economic-environmental indicators than for the social-environmental or environmental indicator. The data for the chosen indicators will be collected in collaboration with different data holders as identified in WP1. The WP has five subtasks as follows:
Subtask 2.1 will collect, synthesize and classify data for a national environmental SDG index based on the UN and EU SDG indicator sets according to the IAEG tier system.
Subtask 2.2 involves the review of existing methodologies for constructing composite indices for monitoring progress on the SDGs at the international level and an assessment of the appropriateness of these methodologies and data for application and transfer to the Irish context. In particular, this subtask will determine the relevance of SDG index methodologies for Ireland and specifically whether or not data exists to implement such approaches nationally. We will also address problems associated with establishing appropriate weighting schemes for national SDG indices in view of potential interdependencies between the SDGs.
Based on tasks 2.1 – 2.2, subtask 2.3. will develop a national environmental SDG index in line with international best practice. In particular, we will use the index to provide an assessment of Ireland’s current environmental position in relation to the SDGs. We will also rank our findings by goal and by indicator from best to worst, present regional snapshots
and identify emerging trends to the extent that the existence of past data enables us to.
The findings of this task enable the analysis of subtask 2.4 and 2.5 which will identify gaps in Irish policy and environmental legislation relative to global and EU-level SDG indicators. It will produce a hierarchical matrix of SDGs that identifies and links the findings of the national SDG index to existing Irish policy and legislation.
The proposal allows for the identification not only of policy and legislative gaps but also for the identification of overlaps between SDGs and the identification of environmental policy priorities that can help to assess how best to align Ireland’s current and future environmental policy with the SDGs going forward.
In particular, these subtasks involve an identification of environmental problems that are impeding progress on
the SDGs based on the results of subtask 2.3. A review of Irish environmental legislation, politics and strategies in these
areas will be conducted, and also in areas that are positively or negatively linked to this particular goal or target through
interdependences between the SDGs. Subtask 2.5 will develop a set of criteria for identifying areas that warrant immediate
intervention in relation to the SDGs. The results of this WP will provide the first comprehensive assessment of Ireland’s
current environmental status in relation to the SDGs. This will set a baseline from which research and policy on national
monitoring of the SDGs can be assessed and improved into the future. Furthermore, it will identify a set of priority areas
and SDG policy gaps for delivering on the environmental SDGs.
WP 3 – Governance for the SDGs:
The aim of WP3 is to provide a national benchmark study of governance institutions for the SDGs; it will be the first report of its kind in Ireland to investigate how government institutions can be adapted to incorporate MSPs for the delivery of the environmental SDGs.
The WP has five subtasks:
Subtask 3.1 reviews past and current national multi-stakeholder initiatives with a focus on the Irish case. In particular, it will review academic literature and national policy documents on MSPs in Ireland.
Subtask 3.2 will analyse current national policy structures and assess issues and challenges in formulating and advancing multi-stakeholder agreements in the environmental area. It will analyse the distinctive features of environmental problems and their contribution to the governance and institutional challenge. It will also consider the implications of international spillovers for the appropriate level to implement MSPs in a regional context.
These subtasks prepare the way for Subtask 3.3 which involves conducting fifteen interviews in person with policy makers and key stakeholders who have experience in MSPs to identify factors which contributed to successful MSPs and ways for improving their design. This work will involve seven interviews with representatives of Irish stakeholder groups and policy makers to map the national stakeholder landscape for environmental SDG policy. Eight interviews will be conducted with American (four) and other European stakeholders (four) involved in the UN High-level Political Forums (HLPFs), including civil society groups, academics and government officials as well as members of the Open Working Groups that designed the SDGs.
Subtasks 3.4 and 3.5. will deliver PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS FOR BEST PRACTICES on how to design MSPs that can be adapted to an Irish context in order to address priority areas for the environmental SDGs in Ireland and identify potential opportunities and risks arising from aligning national policy towards delivering the SDGs. This task will also address the appropriate level, national or regional, for implementing MSPs in identified priority areas and will thus build on the analysis of Subtask 3.2.
WP 4 – Recommendations, Knowledge Gaps and Future Roadmap:
This WP focuses on translating KNOWLEDGE TO RECOMMENDATIONS for ACTION. The overall objective of this WP is to translate the knowledge gained through WPs 1-3 into concrete policy and practice recommendations and an assessment of data needs to support the future development of a monitoring framework.
In this regard subtask 4.1. will develop capacity for a monitoring framework by identifying monitoring and reporting data needs, and subtask 4.2. will develop a ‘how to’ guide for policymakers which will provide practical guidance on how integrate inclusive institutions into environmental policy formulation and implementation in identified priority areas. The assessment of data needs and the ‘How To’ Guide will be key deliverables for the dissemination of project findings to our core audiences.
Subtask 4.3. will identify knowledge gaps and emerging research needs in relation to the UN SDGs implementation, monitoring and reporting in Ireland. The WP also includes the delivery of a final project report, synthesis report and summary research findings, which will include a broader series of policy and practice recommendations. Post-project dissemination is outlined in Section C, and will include a dissemination workshop that will be of educational benefit to policymakers and all relevant stakeholders.