How open is SDG reporting?
Open Data frameworks for better SDG reporting
By: Renato Berrino Malaccorto, Research Manager, Open Data Charter and Lorenz Noe, Research Manager, Open Data Watch
A new report by Open Data Charter and Open Data Watch seeks to explore different models of how data governance intersects with a country’s SDG reporting from the perspective of open data.
Starting point
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a call for action by all countries — regardless of income level — to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. The SDGs recognize that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with promoting economic growth, addressing social needs including education, health, and social protection, while tackling climate change. These goals also provide a critical framework for ongoing COVID-19 recovery. However, the SDGs are off-track in implementation and monitoring: even with the laudable advancements of the past eight years, clear concepts and good coverage exist for only 66 percent of SDG indicators.
Governments report progress on the SDGs through Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) at the High-Level Political Forum at the United Nations. As of 2024, 189 of 193 UN countries have submitted or intend to submit a VNR to the UN. But not all the information reported through the VNRs is available on government sites or in open formats.
When this happens, critical information on progress towards key development domains is locked away, hindering both an understanding of a country’s current progress towards the SDGs and the ability to make necessary changes for improvements. And when the data that governments compile for reporting mechanisms like the VNRs are not open or accessible for different stakeholders (Civil Society Organizations, Academia, etc.), or even for government agencies themselves, it significantly limits the value of the reported data. A lack of openness also goes against the fundamental human right of access to public information. Open data is pivotal for effective SDG reporting, enhancing transparency, accountability, and collaboration. It enables evidence-based decision-making, leveraging diverse insights for comprehensive monitoring and progress tracking.
Open Data Charter and Open Data Watch set out to answer questions around whether data on SDG 3, 5, and 13 are available and open in 11 VNRs and whether SDG reporting practices correspond to countries’ own open data landscapes. Guidance on integrating data into VNRs exists and recent research by PARIS21 further strengthens the case for integrating national statistical offices into the process of preparing VNRs, but the perspective of open data is missing.
Key findings
Based on this pilot review of 11 countries’ VNRs between 2020 and 2023, countries generally follow best practices by employing statistical annexes in their VNRs, something also found by studies with larger sample sizes. However, there remains considerable room for improvement in the way these annexes are utilized. In addition, a significant issue is that countries often fail to cite the data sources within their VNRs, which undermines both the accessibility and transparency of the information provided. This lack of citation hinders stakeholders’ ability to verify the data and undermines the credibility of the reports.
Furthermore, the open data policies adopted by governments overall is not always reflected in their SDG reporting as shown by their VNRs. Lower middle and upper middle income countries, however, tend to show greater coherence between their open data policies and their SDG reporting as shown by their inclusion of many datapoints, statistical annexes, and recognition of open data as an important principle for official statistics. These countries likely have stronger incentives to present a favorable impression of their investment environment, which may drive them to align their policies more closely with their reporting practices and ensure that their VNRs are both comprehensive and transparent.
All countries, however, can benefit from building greater coherence between their domestic open data and their international reporting efforts and this paper lays out several recommendations around better open data practices, such as improving sources for data used in VNRs and improving coordination between domestic open data policies and SDG reporting units..
The way forward
Open data is pivotal for effective SDG reporting, enhancing transparency, accountability, and collaboration. It enables evidence-based decision-making, leveraging diverse insights for comprehensive monitoring and progress tracking. Future work aims to further generalize these findings by studying more countries and diving deeper into the country preparations of VNRs.
If you are interested in the subject and have ideas to share, please write to us at renato@opendatacharter.org and lorenznoe@opendatawatch.com
Please find the report here.
