Book contents
- Prioritizing Development
- Prioritizing Development
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Boxes
- Contributors
- Foreword
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 Benefits and Costs of Air Pollution Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 2 Targets for Biodiversity and Deforestation
- Chapter 3 Benefits and Costs of the Climate Change Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 4 Beyond Civil War
- Chapter 5 Data Revolution
- Chapter 6 Benefits and Costs of the Education Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 7 Benefits and Costs of the Energy Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 8 Benefits and Costs of the IFF Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 9 Benefits and Costs of the Trade Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 10 Benefits and Costs of the Health Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 11 Benefits and Costs of the Noncommunicable Disease Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 12 Benefits and Costs of the Women’s Health Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 13 Benefits and Costs of TB Control for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 14 Benefits and Costs of the Infant Mortality Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 15 Benefits and Costs of the HIV/AIDS Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 16 Benefits and Costs of the Malaria Targets for the Post-2015 Consensus Project
- Chapter 17 Benefits and Costs of Digital Technology
- Chapter 18 Returns to Investment in Reducing Postharvest Food Losses and Increasing Agricultural Productivity Growth
- Chapter 19 Benefits and Costs of the Gender Equality Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 20 Benefits and Costs of the Food and Nutrition Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 21 Benefits and Costs of the Population and Demography Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 22 Benefits and Costs of Two Science and Technology Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 23 Global Benefits and Costs of Achieving Universal Coverage of Basic Water and Sanitation Services as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
- Chapter 24 Benefits and Costs of the Poverty Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 25 Good Governance and the Sustainable Development Goals
- Conclusion
- Index
Conclusion
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 May 2018
- Prioritizing Development
- Prioritizing Development
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Boxes
- Contributors
- Foreword
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 Benefits and Costs of Air Pollution Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 2 Targets for Biodiversity and Deforestation
- Chapter 3 Benefits and Costs of the Climate Change Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 4 Beyond Civil War
- Chapter 5 Data Revolution
- Chapter 6 Benefits and Costs of the Education Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 7 Benefits and Costs of the Energy Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 8 Benefits and Costs of the IFF Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 9 Benefits and Costs of the Trade Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 10 Benefits and Costs of the Health Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 11 Benefits and Costs of the Noncommunicable Disease Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 12 Benefits and Costs of the Women’s Health Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 13 Benefits and Costs of TB Control for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 14 Benefits and Costs of the Infant Mortality Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 15 Benefits and Costs of the HIV/AIDS Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 16 Benefits and Costs of the Malaria Targets for the Post-2015 Consensus Project
- Chapter 17 Benefits and Costs of Digital Technology
- Chapter 18 Returns to Investment in Reducing Postharvest Food Losses and Increasing Agricultural Productivity Growth
- Chapter 19 Benefits and Costs of the Gender Equality Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 20 Benefits and Costs of the Food and Nutrition Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 21 Benefits and Costs of the Population and Demography Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 22 Benefits and Costs of Two Science and Technology Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 23 Global Benefits and Costs of Achieving Universal Coverage of Basic Water and Sanitation Services as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
- Chapter 24 Benefits and Costs of the Poverty Targets for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
- Chapter 25 Good Governance and the Sustainable Development Goals
- Conclusion
- Index
Summary
Over the next 15 years the Global Goal targets examined in the research section of this book will help to direct somewhere in the region of $2.5 trillion to be spent on development assistance, as well as countless trillions in national budgets. As the members of the Eminent Panel that examined the research and made recommendations on the proposed targets, particularly in terms of value-for-money, we believe that it is important that those making funding decisions have access to information on costs and benefits.
A natural political inclination is to promise all good things to everyone. This, in no small part, is how the United Nations ended up with 169 targets. All are well-intentioned.
However, the analyses presented in this book demonstrate that some of the targets are less worthwhile, producing only a little more than $1 in social benefits per dollar spent, while others produce much higher social returns. After careful consideration and engagement with the research authors, we selected the 19 targets that we expect to produce the greatest benefits.
The analyses suggest that if the United Nations (UN) concentrates on these top 19 targets, it could achieve $20 to $40 in social benefits per dollar spent. In contrast, allocating it evenly across all 169 targets would reduce the figure to less than $10.
Targets that will help people directly through health benefits are worth championing. As we read about in Chapter 13, tuberculosis (TB) is a “hidden” disease. More than two billion people carry the bacterium that causes it. About 10 percent of those people will develop TB at some point, and about 1.5 million people each year die from TB. But treatment is inexpensive and, in most cases, highly effective. Spending a dollar on diagnosis and treatment is a low-cost way to give many more years of productive life to many people. Ebola and Zika may receive the headlines, but TB is a much bigger problem, and one that we recommend receives high priority.
Reducing childhood malnutrition, described in Chapter 20, is another excellent target. A good diet allows children's brains and muscles to develop better, producing lifelong benefits. Wellnourished children stay in school longer, learn more, and end up being much more productive members of society. The available evidence suggests that providing better nutrition for 68 million children each year would produce over $40 in long-term social benefits for every dollar spent.
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- Prioritizing DevelopmentA Cost Benefit Analysis of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, pp. 501 - 507Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2018