Limitations in measuring sustainable food systems: domestic policy priorities and global monitoring

In recent years, many strategies for sustainable food systems have been launched at the national and global levels, which require better tools to monitor their progress. Subsequently, discussions on their measurements have drawn enormous attention, and various indicators have been developed. As indicators at the national level reflect policy priorities in the respective countries, it is difficult to develop adequate global indicators that accommodate different national priorities. Additionally, if we pursue only the existing dataset, we may lose the thrust of the initial objectives. However, the collection of new data can place an enormous burden on stakeholders, both developing and developed countries. These difficulties were revealed in recent negotiations for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework at the Convention on Biological Diversity at the 15th Conference of the Parties. Therefore, we must reach a compromise between what we want to achieve and the resources we can share.