National Agenda 21 and Sustainable Development Indicators: the brazilian context

National States have elaborated their strategies and plans regarding the promotion of sustainable development, responding to growing pressure from the organized Civil Society to implement guidelines established by international commitment instruments, Indicators have also been proposed to follow up results and impacts arising out of the implementation of policies. In 2002, Brazil approved its Agenda 21. It was prepared through a participative process, a significant experience in a scenario of great social, environmental, and economic diversity, although the Brazilian government does not have yet a consolidated monitoring and assessing system tailored to its National Agenda 21. Following the United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development guiding and support, the IBGE - Brazilian Geography and Statistics Institute - published in 2002 the document IDS - Sustainable Development Indicators, Brazil 2002. Even though both efforts have been carried out simultaneously, and have had the same focus - Brazilian sustainable development -, the non-integration of both processes has produced gaps within the set of indicators, weakening the opportunity of creating conditions for assessment and revision of the national sustainable development plan and the several local agendas 21. This is the focus of this document, as it presents an integrated analysis of Brazilian Agenda 21 preparation, understood as a National Strategic Plan for Brazilian Sustainable Development, and of the construction of Brazil's Sustainable Development Indicators as proposed by IBGE, presenting positive aspects, advances, opportunities, gaps, and perspectives.