Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index

Overview

This dataset assesses countries' progress on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted by UN Member States in 2015. Derived from the annual Sustainable Development Report, it provides structured data for analyzing global and national SDG performance, trends, and challenges.

Purpose

The primary purpose of this dataset is to facilitate in-depth analysis, research, and policy-making related to sustainable development. It enables users to track progress, identify areas requiring greater attention, compare national performances, and support evidence-based interventions for achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Data Coverage

• Geographical Scope: Covers all 193 United Nations Member States.

• Temporal Coverage: Data is available annually since the adoption of the SDGs in 2015, up to the latest published report year.

• Goals and Indicators: Encompasses all 17 Sustainable Development Goals, with data presented across numerous indicators (approximately 125 unique indicators) used to measure progress under each goal. 

  GOAL 1: No Poverty

  GOAL 2: Zero Hunger

  GOAL 3: Good Health and Well-being

  GOAL 4: Quality Education

  GOAL 5: Gender Equality

  GOAL 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

  GOAL 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

  GOAL 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  GOAL 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

  GOAL 10: Reduced Inequality

  GOAL 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  GOAL 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  GOAL 13: Climate Action

  GOAL 14: Life Below Water

  GOAL 15: Life on Land

  GOAL 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions

  GOAL 17: Partnerships to achieve the Goal

Data Points and Metrics

The dataset includes various metrics for each country, SDG, and indicator:

• SDG Index Scores: Overall scores reflecting a country's aggregate performance across all SDGs.

• Individual SDG Scores/Performance: Scores and ratings for each of the 17 individual SDGs, indicating how well a country is performing on specific goals.

• Indicator-Level Data: Raw values for the underlying indicators that comprise the SDG scores.

• Trends: Trends indicating whether a country is on track, moderately improving, stagnating, or decreasing on specific goals and indicators.

• Traffic Light System Ratings: A color-coded rating (green, yellow, orange, red) indicating a country's status on achieving each SDG.

Data Sources and Methodology

The data is compiled by independent experts and draws from a wide range of official and non-official data sources, including international organizations (e.g., World Bank, WHO, UNESCO), research institutions, and national statistical offices. The methodology for calculating the SDG Index and individual goal scores involves normalization, aggregation, and imputation techniques to ensure comparability across countries and over time. Full methodological details are typically provided in accompanying documentation (e.g., Codebook and Methodology Report) available with the downloadable dataset.

Potential Uses

• Academic research and statistical analysis on sustainable development.

• Policy formulation and review by governments and international bodies.

• Monitoring and evaluation of SDG implementation.

• Educational purposes and public awareness campaigns.

• Development of visualizations and interactive dashboards.

Access and Download

The complete dataset, along with the full report, codebook, and methodological explanations, is typically available for free download from the official Sustainable Development Report website. Users are encouraged to refer to the source website for the most up-to-date versions and supporting documentation.