Consider the following statements about sustainable development - (1) Based on the global indicator framework and data produced by National Statistical Systems and information collected at regional level, the United Nations Secretary General presents an Annual Sustainable Development Goal Report. (2) Global Sustainable Development Report is produced to inform the quadrennial sustainable development goal review deliberations at the U.N. General Assembly once every quarter. Select the correct answer using the code given below -
- (a)Only 2
- (b)Neither 1 nor 2
- (c)Both 1 and 2
- (d)Only 1
Correct — D, Only 1. Statement 1 is accurate: drawing on the global indicator framework and data from national statistical systems (plus regional inputs), the UN Secretary-General presents an annual SDG Progress Report each year. Statement 2 is self-contradictory and false: the Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR) is a quadrennial report (produced once every four years) to inform the four-yearly SDG review at the HLPF/General Assembly — it is not produced 'once every quarter'. Since only statement 1 holds, the answer is 'Only 1'.
- (a)Only 2 — Reverses the truth. Statement 2 is the false one (the GSDR is quadrennial, not quarterly), while statement 1 is correct.
- (b)Neither 1 nor 2 — Statement 1 is factually correct, so 'Neither' is wrong.
- (c)Both 1 and 2 — Statement 2 is false — the GSDR informs a quadrennial (four-yearly) review, and its own text saying 'once every quarter' is the built-in error — so both cannot be correct.
The UN tracks the 2030 Agenda through two distinct products. The annual SDG Progress Report is compiled by the UN Secretary-General from the global indicator framework and national statistical data. The Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR) is a separate, quadrennial 'science' report written by an Independent Group of 15 Scientists appointed by the Secretary-General, feeding the four-yearly SDG review at the High-Level Political Forum / General Assembly.
The trap is in statement 2, which correctly calls the review 'quadrennial' but then contradicts itself by saying the report is produced 'once every quarter' — mixing up quadrennial (every 4 years) with quarterly (every 3 months). Statement 1 accurately describes the annual SDG report. Recognising that a single statement can be internally inconsistent lets you reject statement 2 and choose 'Only 1'.
- Annual SDG Progress Report: prepared yearly by the UN Secretary-General from the global indicator framework.
- Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR): quadrennial (every four years), NOT quarterly.
- The GSDR is written by an Independent Group of 15 Scientists appointed by the UN Secretary-General.
- The GSDR informs the four-yearly SDG review at the HLPF under the General Assembly.
Only statement 1 is correct; statement 2 confuses 'quadrennial' with 'quarterly'.
- Confusing 'quadrennial' (every 4 years) with 'quarterly' (every 3 months).
- Assuming both UN SDG reports have the same author and periodicity.
UPSC/UPPSC test SDG governance through statement-based questions that hinge on who produces a report and how often — watch for a periodicity error slipped into an otherwise plausible statement.
Consider the following statements: 1. The Sustainable Development Goals were first proposed in 1972 by a global think tank called the 'Club of Rome'. 2. The Sustainable Development Goals have to be achieved by 2030. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) Both 1 and 2
- (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer(b) 2 only
Both are statement-based questions on the Sustainable Development Goals where one plausible-sounding statement carries a factual/date error and only one statement is correct.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR) that informs the SDG review at the UN is prepared by:
- (a)The UN Secretary-General annually
- (b)An Independent Group of 15 Scientists, once every four years
- (c)The World Bank every two years
- (d)National statistical offices every quarter
Answer(b) An Independent Group of 15 Scientists appointed by the Secretary-General, produced quadrennially.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The forum at the United Nations that carries out the central review of progress on the Sustainable Development Goals is the:
- (a)Economic and Social Council plenary
- (b)High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF)
- (c)UN Security Council
- (d)Commission on Sustainable Development
Answer(b) High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) — the platform for SDG follow-up and review.