Measuring sustainable governance

1. Measuring sustainable governance Fanie Cloete School of Public Management and Planning, University of Stellenbosch

2. Outline • Governance, development, & sustainability • Governmental performance assessment model • Good policy evaluation practices indicator guide • International sustainability assessment frameworks • Unpacking sustainability • Conclusions Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

3. Governance = “the manner in which power is exercised in the management of a country’s economic and social resources for development” - World Bank 1994 Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

4. Good governance “….achieving the most appropriate developmental policy objectives to sustainably develop a society, by mobilising, applying and co-ordinating all available domestic & international resources in public, private and voluntary sectors in most effective, efficient and democratic way…” (Cloete 2000) Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

5. Development = both a physical reality and a state of mind in which the means for obtaining a better life is improved, through a combination of social, economic and institutional capacity-building and empowerment (Sen 1999, Todaro 1997, Serageldin 1996) Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

6. Development level 1 Satisfying basic needs above the indigent line: food, water, shelter, clothes & personal safety Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

7. Developmental level 2 Consolidation of a middle class life style: Sanitation, health services, jobs, churches, recreation, schools, culture, shops, life cycle services. Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

8. Developmental level 3: Fulfilling higher level personal and abstract needs and desires: the opportunity to live an enriched life according to one’s own preferred alternative lifestyle, including specialised individual interests and preferences (eg travel, music, culture, sport, hobbies, etc) & individually customised collective services (in-flight TV, games, A/C, etc) Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

9. International policy indicators • IUCN • OECD • World Bank • European Union • UN Agenda 21 • UN Millennium goals & targets • UN Commission for Sustainable development Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

10. CSD Indicator framework Integrated approach, to measure sustainability : • Social • Economic • Environmental • Institutional • Model applicable to all UN member states Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

11. Millennium Goals for 2015 • Eradicate extreme poverty & hunger • Achieve universal primary education • Promote gender equality & empower women • Reduce child mortality • Improve maternal health • Combat AIDS, TB, Malaria & other diseases • Ensure environmental sustainability • Develop a global partnership for development Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

12. Policy systems approach Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

13. Policy Input Indicator Guide • Policy content (approach, comparability, etc) • Financial resources for programme/project • Human resources skills for programme/project • Support for programme/project • Other required resources (eg water) Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

14. Policy Resource Conversion Indicator Guide • Process efficiency • Process effectiveness (appropriateness, relevance, etc) • Process productivity • People-centred, participatory & responsive processes • Process equity, fairness, representivity • Process transparency • Accountability • Democratic nature of processes (tolerance, rights-based, legitimate) • Project management • Process flexibility • Co-ordination, integration & holism of services • Professionalism & ethical nature of processes • Creativity, competitiveness & entrepreneurship Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

15. Policy Output Indicator Guide • Results achieved: • Numbers • Quality Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

16. Policy Outcome Indicator Guide • Achievement of national vision (relevance & effectiveness of outcome) • Affordability of outcome • Equity, fairness, representivity of outcome • Development & growth focus of outcome • Contribution to stability (regulation & protection focus) of outcome • Democratic nature of outcome (free participatory, legitimate tolerance, accountable outcomes) • Empowerment of citizens as outcome (informed, participating, activist citizens as outcome) • Citizen satisfaction • Project/programme sustainability (social, economic, political, managerial, technological, environmental), both objectively and subjectively determined in short, medium & long term time frames) Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

17. Sustainability = maintenance of a stable, desired trend in a durable way within a specified long term time frame. Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

18. The National Vision To build from the remnants of a previously deeply divided country with a legacy of racial division and inequality, a united, strong, independent, prosperous, self-reliant and proud South African nation. Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

19. Demographic sustainability = maintenance of a stable trend in populations, able to sustain all its developmental needs through available resources durably within a specified long term time frame. Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

20. The Demographic Vision to create and sustain human, flora and fauna populations that constitute sound ecological systems in South Africa Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

21. Demographic Impact Indicators = Subjectively perceived or objective changes in size, distribution & composition of population, through estimates, polls, census, projections & forecasts. Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

22. Social sustainability = maintenance of an empowered citizenry interacting with each other through effective social networks, constituting a cohesive community/society striving towards generally accepted goals to promote individual & collective interests Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

23. The Social Vision to create a stable, secure and prosperous social environment in which all citizens have access to basic nutrition, health, housing and education services in order to enable and empower them to develop pride, belonging, hope, self-help, self-respect, a spirit of caring and responsibility and their own respective potentials fully Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

24. Social Impact Indicators = Subjectively perceived or objective changes in individual & community profiles, status, values, institutions & behaviour patterns, including personal development, conflict, cohesion, networks, mobilisation, participation, mobility, stability, family life, youth development, etc Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

25. Economic sustainability = maintenance of a sound, stable and growing/expanding economic system meeting the needs of society or developing towards higher levels in an efficient way over time Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

26. The Economic Vision to create a productive, competitive, efficient, effective, growing economic environment that creates investors’ confidence and sufficient jobs for all work seekers, where all citizens can aspire to basic incomes above the poverty line and fair and equitable opportunities and resources to improve their own quality of life as well as they can Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

27. Financial sustainability = not spending more than you earn over time , and preferably not reducing assets or capacity but building them up in a durable way within a specified time frame Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

28. The Financial Vision to create a sound and stable fiscal and financial base for economic activities that is internationally competitive, dynamic, growing/expanding and innovative Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

29. Financial / EconomicImpact Indicators = Subjectively perceived or objective changes in income & expenditure patterns, taxation, economic growth & decline, inflation, exchange rates, types of economic activities & inactivities, employment, production & consumption patterns, living cost, productivity Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

30. Cultural sustainability = maintenance of stable and durable systems of values, customs and practices expressing the cultural identity of a community or society Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

31. The Cultural Vision to create a tolerant and relaxed cultural environment where individual ethnic and cultural identities can be expressed and promoted through arts, drama, language and religion to enrich the diversity and heritage of the South African nation Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

32. Cultural Impact Indicators = Subjectively perceived or objective changes in cultural values, attitudes, practices and customs, incl in language, art, drama, literature, music, religion, etc. Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

33. Political sustainability = maintenance of a stable, effective political vision, commitment and support founded on legitimate democratic processes in a durable way within a specified time frame Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

34. The Political Vision to create in terms of its 1996 Constitution: • a democratic and safe organisational or institutional environment, • where individual rights and community interests can be freely pursued • under a legitimate, transparent, ethical and accountable government • that is regularly elected in free and fair elections, • to maximise the quality of life of its citizens, and • that plays a key role in Africa and the World. Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

35. Institutional sustainability = maintenance of stable and effective and efficient institutions which have a good record of achieving strategic policy objectives and of learning from past failures and successes durably within a specified time frame. Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

36. The Institutional Vision to create professional, participatory and responsive public services with the capacity to address national needs in a durable way within a specified time frame Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

37. Managerial sustainability = maintenance of a combination of : • strong and committed leadership • clear and unambiguous strategic policy objectives • a broad-based consensus about these objectives • effective operational policy implementation, coordination, monitoring, assessment & redesign, durably within a specified time frame Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

38. Organisational Impact Indicators = Subjectively perceived or objective changes in administrative agency size, budget, composition, functions, services & facilities, distribution, accessibility, quality, quantity, effectiveness, efficiency, technology Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

39. Technological sustainability = maintenance of effective and appropriate stable technological systems enabling, supporting, facilitating and promoting societal activities in different sectors durably within a specified time frame Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

40. The Technological Vision to create stable and reliable electronic and other technological networks and tools to enable, facilitate, support and promote societal activities optimally, and also to achieve full electronic government in South Africa. Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

41. TechnologicalImpact Indicators = Subjectively perceived or objective changes in levels of technology provision & use, incl levels and sophistication of electronic literacy, telecommunications, stand alone computer workstations, networks, etc Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

42. Environmental sustainability = maintenance of stable ecological and bio-diversity systems durably within a specified long term time frame (= Brundtland) Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

43. The Environmental Vision to create a natural and a living environment that fully conserves and promotes the scenic beauty of the country, and to utilise all natural resources in such a sustainable way that later generations will also be able to enjoy them and to satisfy their needs (= Brundtland) Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

44. EnvironmentalImpact Indicators = Subjectively perceived or objective changes in nature & quality of natural & living environment, including air, noise, water, sea, flora, fauna & topography Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)

45. Conclusions • Regular, systematic governance assessment now international best practice • Outcomes measurement imperative • Sustainability focus increasingly relevant • Appropriate & relevant international models available • Avoid reinvention of wheels • Customise/contextualise international models for domestic application Cloete: Measuring sustainable governance (c)