Mind the SDG data gaps

Nearly a decade into the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, OECD countries have made substantial strides in strengthening statistical capacity to monitor Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This progress is evident in improved data availability, harmonisation, and coverage across many targets. However, critical gaps persist that challenge the monitoring of SDGs. This brief documents some of these remaining challenges using data from the OECD Hub on Sustainable Development Goals, and focusing on five priority areas: (i) outdated data; (ii) inconsistent definitions of targets; (iii) insufficient data disaggregation by gender, income, age, and location; (iv) sectoral blind spots, notably in planet and people-related goals; and (v) underutilisation of data innovation. Addressing these limitations is key to enabling more effective and equitable implementation of SDGs across OECD countries.