Target Tracker
Showing global and national trends towards the goals and targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework
Introduction
A key part of the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework will be to track progress towards its goals and targets at a global and national levels. To help meet this need, UNEP-WCMC is leading the development of the Biodiversity Target Tracker online platform
Solution
An online platform that enables countries to access information as they share expertise and challenges experienced when implementing action towards targets and goals. Countries would need this information to measure and report on progress in the Global Biodiversity Framework as they report to the CBD on their fulfilment
Problem statement
Countries/ parties reporting to the CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) need accessible and up-to-date information on progress towards targets and goals on a global/national scale with increased transparency to help support the achievement of the Global Biodiversity Framework
Constraint considerations
Each reporting cycle takes each commitment 1-4 years to be fulfilled and sometimes not every country can meet the ambitious goals. Given how sensitive these data sources can be, data is often collected in another platform and then interpreted into the data available on Target Tracker. It is exactly how you imagine it to be, one person sitting on their desk inputting records from Excel for it to be available online.
I hope that one day, all data can be reported and monitored on ONE PLATFORM to maintain its accuracy and integrity and save someone’s sanity!
The uses and users of the Target Tracker
Countries/parties reporting to the CBD
The principal target users of this platform are countries that are part of the CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity), specifically the CBD focal points and officials in environmental ministries responsible for reporting their progress in achieving commitments towards targets and goals
Countries may fall into these 3 categories:
Countries that currently have a dedicated tracking progress towards indicators
Countries that have appointed a government official responsible for tracking all things biodiversity-related
Countries that currently have no dedicated system or have not yet made commitments towards reporting indicators for biodiversity progress
CBD Secretariat
Secondary users include the Secretariats of biodiversity-related MEAs (Multilateral Environmental Agreements), with a focus on the CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity). Essentially they will require information on the global scale to visualise progress towards global targets and national level progress towards national targets.
This information will be used in assessments and reports by providing a global overview of national progress in implementing the Global Biodiversity Framework and help identify needs for additional support to countries that might need it
NGOs & Academia
Other potential users include NGOs, other international analysts and academia who engage with international status of biodiversity and conservation efforts made towards achieving the Global Biodiversity Framework
Core user needs and the impact we hope Target Tracker will achieve
Users aim to monitor the progress of their respective countries in implementing measures and policies related to biodiverstity conservation as outlined by the CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity)
Monitoring Progress
Users aim to monitor the progress of their respective countries in implementing measures and policies related to biodiversity conservation as outlined by the CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity)
Reporting
Countries need to report on the actions taken, achievements and challenges faced in meeting the targets set by the CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity). This serves as a learning tool for other surrounding countries. More importantly, this involves providing detailed and accurate information needed for the actual report to the CBD(Convention on Biological Diversity)
Coordination
CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) focal points and environmental ministry officials utilise the platform to coordinate with other stakeholders to exchange knowledge, share best practices and collaborate on biodiversity conservation initiatives
Policy Development
Users may also use the platform to access resources, research findings and case studies to inform policy development and decision-making processes related to biodiversity conservation
Accountability
Countries are essentially accountable for ensuring that they accomplish their commitments under the CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity). Therefore, they use the platform to demonstrate transparency and accountability in their efforts to conserve biodiversity
Target tracker functions
To help meet user needs the curation of the platform was directly informed by consultations with different stakeholders particularly the CBD parties, a multi-user panel and experts in the field of biodiversity at UNEP-WCMC
Display
To provide information for the goals and targets as well as their headline indicators for the Global Biodiversity Framework
Global scale
Showcase the latest trending results at the global scale for headline indicators and other indicators with available data in the monitoring framework ready for reporting to the CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity)
National commitments
Voluntarily provided information on national commitments for the goals and targets under the Global Biodiversity Framework
Trends
To calculate the direction of change in each available indicator and display whether or not the trends are moving towards or away from the goal or target
National results
Display the latest national results being met for the headline indicators (within the goals & targets) as they are produced from the global data
Display goals, targets and indicators in the Global Biodiversity Framework
The introduction to the goals, targets and headline indicators are displayed in cards that can provide further details about trends, results and reports by contributing countries. I wanted to display the data made available by countries in an intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface
The intention is for users to be able to navigate to the detailed information on each goal, target and headline indicator to include detailed descriptions of progress and relevant documentation that can help support countries in the environmental reports
The direction of change in each global headline indicator
I wanted to display the data made available by countries in an intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface
To specify each country's contribution towards the Global Biodiversity Framework, trends towards or away from headline indicators incorporate data visualisations to help users understand and interpret data easily even at a glance
Displaying the latest trends in national data
Including the historical data enables users to analyse trends over time, aiding in the accurate assessment of long-term progress towards goals and targets. Users can compare the direction of change across targets, providing a comprehensive understanding of overall progress
This way, other countries can also learn from others who were able to excel in their goals, this is particularly beneficial to countries who haven’t established a system for tracking all things biodiversity-related
What I’ve learnt from this project
Including the historical data enables users to analyse trends over time, aiding in the accurate assessment of long-term progress towards goals and targets. Users can compare the direction of change across targets, providing a comprehensive understanding of overall progress
This way, other countries can also learn from others who were able to excel in their goals, this is particularly beneficial to countries who haven’t established a system for tracking all things biodiversity-related
