Book contents
- Prioritizing Development
- Prioritizing Development
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Boxes
- Contributors
- Foreword
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 Benefits and Costs of Air Pollution Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 2 Targets for Biodiversity and Deforestation
- Chapter 3 Benefits and Costs of the Climate Change Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 4 Beyond Civil War
- Chapter 5 Data Revolution
- Chapter 6 Benefits and Costs of the Education Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 7 Benefits and Costs of the Energy Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 8 Benefits and Costs of the IFF Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 9 Benefits and Costs of the Trade Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 10 Benefits and Costs of the Health Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 11 Benefits and Costs of the Noncommunicable Disease Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 12 Benefits and Costs of the Women’s Health Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 13 Benefits and Costs of TB Control for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 14 Benefits and Costs of the Infant Mortality Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 15 Benefits and Costs of the HIV/AIDS Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 16 Benefits and Costs of the Malaria Targets for the Post-2015 Consensus Project
- Chapter 17 Benefits and Costs of Digital Technology
- Chapter 18 Returns to Investment in Reducing Postharvest Food Losses and Increasing Agricultural Productivity Growth
- Chapter 19 Benefits and Costs of the Gender Equality Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 20 Benefits and Costs of the Food and Nutrition Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 21 Benefits and Costs of the Population and Demography Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 22 Benefits and Costs of Two Science and Technology Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 23 Global Benefits and Costs of Achieving Universal Coverage of Basic Water and Sanitation Services as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
- Chapter 24 Benefits and Costs of the Poverty Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 25 Good Governance and the Sustainable Development Goals
- Conclusion
- Index
25 - Good Governance and the Sustainable Development Goals: Assessing Governance Targets
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 May 2018
- Prioritizing Development
- Prioritizing Development
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Boxes
- Contributors
- Foreword
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 Benefits and Costs of Air Pollution Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 2 Targets for Biodiversity and Deforestation
- Chapter 3 Benefits and Costs of the Climate Change Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 4 Beyond Civil War
- Chapter 5 Data Revolution
- Chapter 6 Benefits and Costs of the Education Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 7 Benefits and Costs of the Energy Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 8 Benefits and Costs of the IFF Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 9 Benefits and Costs of the Trade Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 10 Benefits and Costs of the Health Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 11 Benefits and Costs of the Noncommunicable Disease Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 12 Benefits and Costs of the Women’s Health Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 13 Benefits and Costs of TB Control for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 14 Benefits and Costs of the Infant Mortality Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 15 Benefits and Costs of the HIV/AIDS Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 16 Benefits and Costs of the Malaria Targets for the Post-2015 Consensus Project
- Chapter 17 Benefits and Costs of Digital Technology
- Chapter 18 Returns to Investment in Reducing Postharvest Food Losses and Increasing Agricultural Productivity Growth
- Chapter 19 Benefits and Costs of the Gender Equality Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 20 Benefits and Costs of the Food and Nutrition Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 21 Benefits and Costs of the Population and Demography Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 22 Benefits and Costs of Two Science and Technology Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 23 Global Benefits and Costs of Achieving Universal Coverage of Basic Water and Sanitation Services as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
- Chapter 24 Benefits and Costs of the Poverty Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 25 Good Governance and the Sustainable Development Goals
- Conclusion
- Index
Summary
Introduction
Governance and institutions have been among the focal themes of planning for the post-2015 global agenda. The High Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda named building “peace and effective, open and accountable institutions for all” as one of “five big, transformative shifts” that its members saw as necessary for a new global development agenda (United Nations, 2013). The Secretary- General's report on the post-2015 agenda laid out six “essential elements” for integrating the numerous potential goals and targets: dignity (ending poverty and fighting inequalities); people (human development); prosperity (economic development); planet (environmental protection and climate change); partnership (global solidarity); and justice (promoting “safe and peaceful societies, and strong institutions”; United Nations, 2014b, italics mine). Thus, in contrast with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the quality of governance and institutions is given a prominent place on the new global agenda.
The focus on governance comes from two different perspectives. Some assessments of performance on the existing goals have blamed poor governance when results were disappointing, suggesting that improving governance is essential for making further progress (or sustaining progress) in areas such as poverty reduction, health, education, and water and sanitation. This view, then, sees governance and institutions as necessary means to get results on other development goals. Another perspective is that “good governance,” especially components such as participation, transparency, inclusiveness, and access to justice, is a part of development itself; thus, good governance is seen as a development goal to be pursued for its own sake, not just as a means to enable economic development. Both perspectives are reflected in the United Nations (UN) statements on the post-2015 agenda.
Setting goals and targets for governance and institutions is difficult, and there are many problems and challenges associated with doing so. Whereas there is broad agreement that “good governance” (however that is defined) is preferable to poor governance, there is considerable disagreement over whether establishing specific goals and targets will lead to meaningful improvements in governance. If the motivation is based on the argument that governance is necessary to reach other goals, what do we actually know about the relationship between governance and development? If improving governance is important – whether as ends or means – is including it in the development goals likely to elicit the desired improvements? Setting targets implies being able to measure progress. Can we do that?
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- Prioritizing DevelopmentA Cost Benefit Analysis of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, pp. 475 - 496Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2018