Column Actions

The purpose of this indicator is to assist in halting the degradation and destruction of water-related ecosystems, and to assist the recovery of those already degraded and destructed.

The indicator includes five categories: vegetated wetlands, rivers and estuaries, lakes, aquifers and artificial waterbodies. For purposes of this methodology, the text refers only to these five ecosystem category terminologies. To address its complexity, Indicator 6.6.1 has been divided into 5 Sub Indicators to capture the various data sources and methodologies required for monitoring components of the Indicator. Data sources come from a combination of ground sampling and earth observations. Depending on the type of ecosystem and the type of extent being measured, the data collection methodology can also differ greatly.

National Hydrological Service (NHS)

National Hydrological Service (NHS)

Quinquennial

Percentage (%)

Target 6.6 aims to “protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes” through Indicator 6.6.1 which aims to understand how and why these ecosystems are changing in extent over time. All the different components of Indicator 6.6.1 are important to form a comprehensive picture that enables informed decisions towards the protection and restoration of water-related ecosystems. However, a lack of data within countries to support Indicator 6.6.1 has become clear through the 2017 pilot testing and thus a combination of national data and data based on satellite images is proposed. All data generated is processed using internationally recognized methodologies, resulting in high quality global datasets with extensive spatial and temporal scale.

Water-related ecosystems – includes five categories: 1) vegetated wetlands, 2) rivers and estuaries, 3) lakes, 4) aquifers, and 5) artificial waterbodies. For purposes of this methodology, the text refers only to these five ecosystem category terminologies. The majority of water-related ecosystem types monitored in Indicator 6.6.1 contain freshwater, with the exception of mangroves and estuaries which contain brackish waters and are included in Indicator 6.6.1. Ecosystems containing or within salt waters are not included as these are covered within other SDG indicators (Goal 14). Other categories of wetlands aligning with the Ramsar Convention definitions are captured within the ecosystem category of ‘vegetated wetlands’.

Vegetated Wetlands – the water-related ecosystem category of vegetated wetlands includes swamps, fens, peatlands, marshes, paddies, and mangroves. This definition is closely related to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands definition of wetlands, which is: “areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres” with the exception that salt waters are not included in Indicator 6.6.1 reporting (as they are covered in SDG 14) and with the exception that vegetated wetlands are distinct from the other ecosystem categories of lakes, rivers and estuaries, aquifers, and artificial waterbodies. Vegetated wetlands have been separated as their own ecosystem category because of their importance for target achievement and because the methodology for monitoring them with earth observations is unique from other open waters.

Artificial Waterbodies – the water-related ecosystem category of artificial waterbodies includes open waterbodies created by humans such as reservoirs, canals, harbours, mines and quarries.

Open Water – as any area of surface water unobstructed by aquatic vegetation. This includes the following 3 water-related ecosystem categories: rivers and estuaries, lakes, and artificial waterbodies.

Extent – has been expanded beyond spatial extent to capture additional basic parameters needed for the protection and restoration of water-related ecosystems. Extent includes three components: the spatial extent or surface area, the quality, and the quantity of water-related ecosystems.

Change – a shift from one condition of extent to another over time within a water-related ecosystem, measured against a point of reference.

Indicator 6.6.1 can be disaggregated by each Sub Indicator. All Sub-Indicators can also be disaggregated at different spatial scales i.e. National, basin, and ecosystem type.

The 5 Sub-Indicators are computed separately and thus Indicator 6.6.1 is comprised of 5 stand-alone methodologies.

This indicator can be used to measure the change in the extent of water-related ecosystems over time.

The Indicator is designed in a way to generate data to allow informed decision making towards protecting and restoring water-related ecosystems. It does not measure how many water-related ecosystems have been protected and restored. It is assumed that countries would use the data to actively make decisions, but these actions are not currently being measured.

This methodology mobilizes the collection of widely available earth observation data on spatial extent and some water quality parameters which will be validated by countries. The data itself in the form of images and numbers is straightforward to understand. 

All the metadata shown in this document was gathered from United Nation Statistics Division. The metadata was extracted from https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/.