Environment & Poverty Times


06 2009


UNEP/GRID-Arendal Power to change


How using information and statistics can contribute to sustainable development By Rune Riktor and Dag Roll-Hansen


Change often comes from the outside, sometimes as a slight wind that pushes us in directions we do not necessarily want to move. Or change might come as a furious hurricane, causing pain and disaster. The most beautiful change, though, is often that which comes from within. The will and ability to execute change can make the difference for individuals, families and societies.


When history is a blur, the future is un- certain and each day has enough trouble of its own, there are specific steps we can take, especially if the challenge is to find the path to a better future for a community or a country. Leadership means getting an overview of the situation, learning from the past if possible, and finding the road map to achieve continuous and sustainable improvements.


The most beautiful change is often that which comes from within. The will and ability to execute change can make the difference for individuals, families and societies.


The Norwegian writer Thomas Hylland Eriksen wrote in his 2002 book Tyranny of the Moment that in the fight between “fast” and “slow” time, fast time always wins. What appears to be important here and now takes the focus away from what is essential in the long run. Then our actions tend to be short-termed, and do not seem to lead to a sustainable path. Sustainability, then, is about building a long-term perspective into our short-term decisions in a way that leaves as many – if not more - resources and possibilities to our children as we had ourselves.


Statistics Norway is using a human-oriented, fact-based approach when assisting devel- oping countries in building their future on knowledge and insight. As Sir Francis Bacon said: “knowledge is power,” and it seems like Statistics Norway’s developing partners agree.


Statistics in developing countries Statistics are key to a knowledge-based and sustainable fight against poverty. They are the essential starting point offering infor- mation about distribution of wealth and changes in living conditions in developing countries. Used wisely, quality statistics may contribute to sustainable development in many areas.


Building statistics to manage resources In Southern Sudan the government is facing a number of challenges. It needs data on the welfare of the population and the state of the economy. The Southern Sudan Commission for Census, Surveys and Evaluation is gradually supplying more of this data. It has published a consumer price index quarterly since April 2007, and it recently completed a successful popula- tion and housing census. The next step is a household survey to collect information on living conditions in both northern and southern Sudan.


Statistics are a basis for governments to monitor and manage the economy. It is an imperative for efficient resource allocation and decision-making in both the private and public sectors. Statistics also indicate differences and changes in living condi- tions, revealing what leads to poverty and what should be done to eradicate its causes. Statistics are important for the formulation of evidence-based and transparent policy- making. It is a factual basis for open public debate, in media and in national decision- making bodies.


In short, statistics tell us how success- ful policies are: whether investments in health-care reduces maternal mortality; whether more children attend school when the number of trained teachers increases; and whether implementing agricultural projects means that fewer people starve. Statistics show whether our goals are achievable and whether our strategies are on the right track.


In Malawi the National Statistical Office is producing high-quality statistics in many areas: on the volume of agricultural output; key figures for monitoring the economy; and important social indicators. It is also calculating the share of the population below the poverty line on an annual basis. This work is done in cooperation with Sta- tistics Norway. The core of the cooperation is transferring skills and technology for statistical production.


To create sustainable institutional com- petence, the national statistical institutes both in Malawi and Southern Sudan are establishing in-house training centres to facilitate the transfer of knowledge between colleagues.


“Training must do two things. First it must move your attitude. Second the skills you gain can only be seen in your work. If work has not changed, then training has done nothing. And remember, the knowledge you gain is not yours. You have to pass it on to others.”


Isaiah Chol Aruai


Chairman of Southern Sudan Commission for Census, Statistics and Evaluation


Statistical agencies are not producing maize or building houses. Our raw material is hu- man beings. That is what we have to develop to manage resources efficiently.


Analysis for sustainability Sustainability is of industry wide relevance. The SAS Institute, as a leading vendor of sta- tistical analyses and forecasts, addresses sus- tainability with analytics and management support. Analytics is crucial for predicting, understanding and managing the future, it being essential to stay ahead of the curve and make changes proactively.


A country, or even a region or local com- munity may ask questions about future chal- lenges, for both the short and long-term: Will we be able to feed ourselves? Will our area be populated in 50 years? Will we be able to supply our people with public services? What might be the effects of climate change in our district? Are there risks that we can predict early enough to prevent them? All such questions can be addressed by using analytics, as in Malawi, to see trends, de-


34 35


Southern Sudan and Malawi Hawa Khamis Aganas from Southern Sudan Centre for Census, Statistics and Evaluation, one of the par-


ticipants in a Human Resource Development workshop.


Southern Sudan has had Africa’s longest running civil war. It ended in January 2005. The conflict was between the north and south of Sudan. The peace agreement with the Republic of Sudan gives the south the chance to vote for full independence in 2011 after six years of home rule.


Malawi is one of the least developed and most densely populated countries in Africa. The economy is heavily based in agriculture, with a largely rural population. The Malawian government faces chal- lenges in improving education and health care, protecting the environment and becoming financially independent.


scribe patterns, develop scenarios as a basis for taking action.


In Norway the SAS Institute is cooperating with the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS) and its subsidiary to provide tools for local government to man- age the future sustainably. Hopefully this will raise awareness about future develop- ment and enhance our ability to make the necessary changes.


Private companies face comparable chal- lenges: Is our way of doing business sustain- able in the long run? What will happen to our profits if taxes or resource prices increase? Are we building our business on structures or resources that may disappear? How can we find a robust and sustainable approach to running our company, in a way that con- tributes to healthy growth and increased company value?


A major challenge arises when a privately owned company takes account not only of shareholder value but also social respon- sibility, including the company’s external effects. Such responsibilities might range from employee working conditions to the effect the company’s business has on the surrounding environment, including noise, pollution, transportation and resource usage. In the short term, profits can be maximized by ignoring these issues. But in a longer perspective no company should run their business irresponsibly. It is simply not sustainable. It is not good for society, not good for employees and lastly – it is not good for the company.


There are external drivers that support a shift towards more responsible business practices. International agreements, new taxes and regulations, new expectations from customers, and public opinion on how business should be run are all affecting companies. It is bad for the company’s brand image to be irresponsible. And companies can miss out on profits if they do not become


more flexible to meet regulation and see new opportunities created by the new era.


The challenge is to find “the right thing to do” and “to do the right thing” that also aligns with the company’s business idea and strengthens it.


For a government the challenge is to find the right policy to support a sustainable growth.


The challenge is to find “the right thing to do” and “to do the right thing” that also aligns with the company’s business idea and strengthens it.


What next? Above all sustainable development is about being conscious and having consciousness. Being conscious means using available information to create knowledge and in- sight. Basing management on facts is more transparent and democratic than relying on gut feelings or irrational impulses. If the information is not available, well, go out and find it!


Consciousness arises when ethics meets knowledge and demands action. Thereby the moral is established, and the good corporate citizens stand out of the crowd and lead the way into the future. Consciousness is driving change not only for the meaning of change itself, but for better values and a better basis for coping with the future. This is power used in a good way – the power to change.


About the authors: Rune Riktor is Business Developer at SAS Institute, Norway and Dag Roll- Hansen is Senior Adviser at Statistics Norway.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36