SDG 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Goal description
« […] Technological progress is the foundation of efforts to achieve environmental objectives, such as increased resource and energy-efficiency. Without technology and innovation, industrialization will not happen, and without industrialization, development will not happen. »
Swiss target 9.4: Companies exploit their resource efficiency through optimally designing their production processes and products. The economic and technical potential to close resource cycles is used.
Significance of the indicator
The indicator shows the relationship between domestic raw material consumption (RMC) and gross domestic product (GDP). It shows the total amount of raw materials consumed for every Swiss franc generated by the national economy. The more goods produced and materials sold, the greater the pressure on natural resources. In the interests of sustainable development, it is therefore necessary to preserve or increase the generation of wealth while reducing material consumption.
Help for interpretation
As well as raw materials extracted in Switzerland, the domestic raw material consumption (RMC) data also take into account the total amount of raw material used outside Switzerland during production processes and the transport of goods and services consumed in Switzerland.
International comparability
The flows in raw material equivalents cannot be measured directly and therefore have to be modelled. Internationally, there are a number of statistical approaches for estimating these flows. The data for this indicator are calculated according to a method developed by Eurostat. Only a small number of European countries currently publish this type of data. Eurostat publishes these data at EU level.
Tables
Methodology
This indicator shows resource productivity which is defined as the ratio of domestic raw material consumption (RMC) to gross domestic product (GDP) at previous year’s prices measured against the reference year 2010. A reduction in this indicator means the economy needs fewer materials to produce the same amount of wealth.
The data concerning domestic raw material consumption are collected as part of the environmental accounts compiled by the Federal Statistical Office, which are satellite accounts of the national accounts. The environmental accounts are in line with the UN’s System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA). The data presented in this indicator are based on an adaptation of the Eurostat method, which involves converting a country’s imports and exports into raw material equivalents (RME). RME indicators are the result of modelling and entail greater uncertainty than direct flow indicators. They should therefore be considered as estimates.
Gross domestic product is calculated every year as part of the national accounts of the Federal Statistical Office.
Targets
Swiss target 9.4: Companies exploit their resource efficiency through optimally designing their production processes and products. The economic and technical potential to close resource cycles is used.
International target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities.
Contact
Federal Statistical Office Section Environment, Sustainable Development, TerritoryEspace de l'Europe 10
CH-2010 Neuchâtel
Switzerland
- Tel.
- +41 58 460 58 46
Monday - Friday:
09.00 - 12.00 / 14.00 - 16.00