Evolving Frameworks for Sustainable Development Monitoring: Insights from Literature and Implications for the Arctic Extreme Environment

The monitoring of sustainable development has evolved significantly since the Brundtland Report (1987), adapting to changing global priorities and methodological advancements. This study reviews the literature to trace the historical progression of sustainable development monitoring frameworks and assess their effectiveness. By comparing past frameworks with the current United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG) framework, the research identifies key strengths and limitations in terms of adaptability, implementation and universality.

A central focus is the role of economic, social, political, environmental, and technological trends in shaping SDG progress and monitoring mechanisms. Special attention is given to the Arctic as a key extreme environment especially vulnerable to climate change, where the universality of the UN SDG framework is critically examined. Literature on these contexts reveals significant gaps in monitoring methodologies, particularly in data availability and contextual adaptability.

Additionally, the study evaluates state-level and multilateral efforts in shaping SDG monitoring, highlighting both contributions and challenges. By synthesising scholarly and policy perspectives, this research identifies key gaps in the current SDG framework and presents proposed improvements for monitoring sustainable development in the Arctic extreme environment post-2030. These recommendations emphasise the need for context-sensitive and adaptable monitoring approaches.

The findings contribute to the ongoing discourse on enhancing UN SDG assessment frameworks in the lead up to 2030 to ensure their effectiveness across diverse global settings, including the most challenging socio-economic and environmental conditions, and the strengthening of global commitments to sustainable development beyond 2030.

This study is submitted under the conference theme “Ethics, Governance, and Public Perceptions in the Arctic”, reflecting the relevance of sustainable development monitoring in extreme environments and its implications for governance and policy in the Arctic region