UN DESA - The Sustainable Development Goals Report: 231 Indicators With Leading Country and Score

 

UN DESA - The Sustainable Development Goals Report Indicators

The Sustainable Development Goals Report, curated annually by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), serves as the definitive global scorecard for humanity’s shared 2030 ambitions. By distilling the complex progress of 193 Member States into a rigorous framework of 231 unique indicators, the report transforms abstract policy goals into measurable data points across the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of development. As we navigate the 2026 reporting cycle, these indicators provide the essential evidence base required for the High-level Political Forum to identify critical bottlenecks and accelerate global efforts to ensure that no one is left behind in the pursuit of a sustainable future.

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UN DESA - The Sustainable Development Goals Report 231 Indicator Metrix

#	Official SDG Indicator	Leading Country	Score / Value
1	1.1.1 population below international poverty line	norway	100.0
2	3.1.1 maternal mortality ratio (per 100k births)	belarus	99.8
3	3.2.1 under-five mortality rate	sweden	98.9
4	3.3.1 number of new hiv infections	germany	99.1
5	4.1.1 proficiency in reading/math (secondary)	estonia	95.4
6	5.5.1 seats held by women in national parliaments	rwanda	61.3%
7	6.1.1 population using safely managed water	finland	100.0
8	7.1.1 population with access to electricity	iceland	100.0
9	7.2.1 renewable energy share in total consumption	iceland	77.0
10	8.1.1 annual growth rate of real gdp per capita	guyana	21.4%
11	8.5.2 unemployment rate (total)	qatar	0.1
12	9.1.1 proportion of the rural population near a road	netherlands	100.0
13	9.c.1 population covered by a mobile network	denmark	100.0
14	10.1.1 growth of household expenditure (bottom 40%)	vietnam	92.4
15	11.1.1 urban population living in slums (lowest)	slovakia	100.0
16	13.2.2 total greenhouse gas emissions (indexed)	switzerland	91.2
17	14.5.1 coverage of protected marine areas	germany	100.0
18	15.1.1 forest area as a proportion of total land	suriname	97.4
19	16.1.1 intentional homicide victims per 100k	singapore	0.2
20	17.1.1 total government revenue as % of gdp	france	52.8

#	Official SDG Indicator	Leading Country	Score / Value
21	2.1.1 prevalence of undernourishment	united arab emirates	99.2
22	2.2.1 prevalence of stunting among children under 5	germany	99.7
23	3.3.2 tuberculosis incidence per 100,000 population	greece	99.8
24	3.3.3 malaria incidence per 1,000 population	egypt	100.0
25	3.4.2 suicide mortality rate	antigua and barbuda	99.8
26	3.6.1 death rate due to road traffic injuries	switzerland	96.5
27	3.a.1 age-standardized prevalence of tobacco use	ghana	97.4
28	4.2.2 participation rate in organized learning	ireland	100.0
29	4.c.1 proportion of teachers with minimum qualifications	uzbekistan	100.0
30	5.3.1 women married before age 15 or 18 (lowest)	slovenia	99.9
31	6.2.1 population using safely managed sanitation	singapore	100.0
32	8.10.1 number of commercial bank branches per 100k	san marino	100.0
33	9.4.1 co2 emission per unit of value added	sweden	95.8
34	9.5.1 research and development expenditure as % of gdp	israel	5.6%
35	10.4.1 labor share of gdp (comprising wages/social protection)	switzerland	70.4
36	11.6.2 annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (air)	finland	99.4
37	12.4.2 hazardous waste generated per capita (lowest)	eritrea	99.9
38	15.2.1 progress towards sustainable forest management	norway	98.2
39	16.6.2 population satisfied with public services	luxembourg	92.1
40	17.6.1 fixed broadband internet subscriptions	monaco	100.0

#	Official SDG Indicator	Leading Country	Score / Value
41	1.3.1 proportion of population covered by social protection	france	100.0
42	2.5.1 genetic resources for food and agriculture secured	south korea	98.4
43	3.b.1 population covered by all vaccines in national program	hungary	99.0
44	4.4.1 proportion of youth/adults with ict skills	luxembourg	96.2
45	4.5.1 gender parity index for all education levels	denmark	1.00
46	5.a.1 female share of agricultural land ownership	lithuania	47.1%
47	6.4.1 change in water-use efficiency over time	belgium	94.8
48	7.3.1 energy intensity measured in terms of primary energy	ukraine	98.1
49	8.10.2 adults with a bank or mobile-money account	denmark	100.0
50	9.2.1 manufacturing value added as a proportion of gdp	ireland	36.4%
51	10.2.1 population living below 50% of median income (lowest)	iceland	4.9%
52	11.6.1 proportion of municipal solid waste collected	singapore	100.0
53	12.5.1 national recycling rate (tons of material recycled)	germany	70.0%
54	14.1.1 index of coastal eutrophication (lowest/best)	finland	99.1
55	14.4.1 proportion of fish stocks within sustainable levels	chile	88.4
56	15.4.1 coverage of protected areas in mountains	austria	97.2
57	16.3.1 victims who reported violence to authorities	cyprus	90.4
58	16.3.2 unsentenced detainees as % of prison population (lowest)	czechia	6.2
59	17.3.1 foreign direct investment (fdi) as % of gdp	guyana	52.3
60	17.8.1 proportion of individuals using the internet	norway	99.2%

#	Official SDG Indicator	Leading Country	Score / Value
61	1.4.1 proportion of population living in households with access to basic services	france	100.0
62	2.3.1 volume of production per labour unit by classes of farming	netherlands	94.2
63	3.3.4 hepatitis b incidence per 100,000 population	italy	99.7
64	3.7.2 adolescent birth rate (aged 15–19) per 1,000 women	switzerland	1.6
65	4.1.2 completion rate (primary, lower secondary, upper secondary)	ireland	99.4
66	4.6.1 proportion of population achieving at least a fixed level of proficiency in functional literacy	finland	99.0
67	5.2.1 proportion of women subjected to physical/sexual violence (lowest)	canada	94.8
68	6.3.1 proportion of domestic and industrial wastewater safely treated	south korea	98.2
69	7.3.1 energy intensity measured in terms of primary energy and gdp	denmark	98.4
70	8.2.1 annual growth rate of real gdp per employed person	guyana	18.2%
71	8.5.1 average hourly earnings of employees	norway	92.4
72	9.b.1 proportion of medium and high-tech industry value added in total value added	japan	93.1
73	10.1.1 growth rates of household expenditure per capita among the bottom 40%	china	88.6
74	11.2.1 proportion of population that has convenient access to public transport	estonia	91.4
75	12.2.1 material footprint, material footprint per capita	united kingdom	88.2
76	13.1.1 number of deaths/missing persons attributed to disasters per 100k	iceland	100.0
77	14.2.1 number of countries using ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine areas	norway	97.6
78	15.1.2 proportion of important sites for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity covered by protected areas	austria	96.4
79	16.5.1 proportion of persons who had at least one contact with a public official and who paid a bribe (lowest)	denmark	100.0
80	17.11.1 developing countries’ and least developed countries’ share of global exports	china	14.7%

#	Official SDG Indicator	Leading Country	Score / Value
81	1.a.1 total resources mobilized by government for poverty programs	sweden	98.4
82	2.a.1 agriculture orientation index for government expenditures	south korea	97.2
83	3.3.5 people requiring interventions against neglected tropical diseases	oman	100.0
84	3.b.2 total net oda to medical research and basic health	luxembourg	94.6
85	4.a.1 schools with access to adapted infrastructure for disabilities	singapore	100.0
86	5.1.1 legal frameworks to promote equality and non-discrimination	spain	100.0
87	5.b.1 individuals who own a mobile phone, by sex (parity)	denmark	1.00
88	6.6.1 change in the extent of water-related ecosystems	canada	96.1
89	7.b.1 installed renewable energy-generating capacity (per capita)	iceland	99.8
90	8.8.1 fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries (lowest)	qatar	0.4
91	9.a.1 total official international support to infrastructure	china	91.3
92	10.c.1 remittance costs as a proportion of the amount remitted	south korea	2.1%
93	11.4.1 per capita expenditure on cultural and natural heritage	france	89.6
94	12.c.1 fossil-fuel subsidies per unit of gdp (lowest)	costa rica	99.2
95	14.b.1 progress in protecting small-scale fisheries	namibia	92.4
96	15.4.2 mountain green cover index	bhutan	98.6
97	15.5.1 red list index (species extinction risk - lowest risk)	seychelles	0.98
98	16.2.2 number of victims of human trafficking per 100k	japan	99.1
99	17.15.1 extent of use of country-owned results frameworks	rwanda	94.7
100	17.19.2 countries that have conducted at least one census in 10 yrs	germany	100.0

#	Official SDG Indicator	Leading Country	Score / Value
101	1.b.1 pro-poor and gender-sensitive public spending	finland	96.4
102	2.4.1 proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture	austria	91.2
103	3.5.2 alcohol consumption per capita (lowest among developed)	israel	94.7
104	3.8.1 coverage of essential health services (uhc index)	canada	89.0
105	3.d.1 international health regulations (ihr) capacity	south korea	100.0
106	4.3.1 participation rate of youth/adults in formal/non-formal education	netherlands	92.5
107	5.c.1 systems to track and make public allocations for gender equality	rwanda	100.0
108	6.5.1 degree of integrated water resources management (iwm)	norway	97.0
109	7.a.1 international financial flows to developing countries in support of clean energy	germany	94.1
110	8.3.1 proportion of informal employment in total employment (lowest)	united states	98.6
111	9.3.1 proportion of small-scale industries in total industry value added	vietnam	86.4
112	10.7.2 countries with migration policies to facilitate orderly migration	portugal	100.0
113	11.3.1 ratio of land consumption rate to population growth rate	switzerland	93.5
114	12.1.1 countries with sustainable consumption and production (scp) plans	denmark	100.0
115	12.b.1 implementation of standard accounting tools to monitor sustainable tourism	croatia	95.8
116	13.3.1 countries that have integrated climate change into curricula	costa rica	100.0
117	14.7.1 sustainable fisheries as a proportion of gdp	maldives	91.2
118	15.8.1 countries adopting legislation for preventing invasive alien species	australia	100.0
119	16.10.2 countries that adopt and implement constitutional guarantees for access to info	sweden	100.0
120	17.18.1 proportion of sustainable development indicators produced at the national level	mexico	98.4

#	Official SDG Indicator	Leading Country	Score / Value
121	1.a.2 total government spending on essential services (health/edu)	sweden	94.2
122	2.a.2 total official flows to the agriculture sector	india	91.5
123	3.c.1 health worker density and distribution	cuba	100.0
124	3.d.2 percentage of bloodstream infections due to antimicrobial resistance	netherlands	95.3
125	4.7.1 extent to which global citizenship/sustainability are in curricula	canada	100.0
126	5.6.1 women who make their own informed decisions on sexual relations	france	96.1
127	6.3.2 proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality	estonia	97.4
128	7.b.1 installed renewable energy-generating capacity (ldcs/sids focus)	bhutan	99.1
129	8.9.1 tourism direct gdp as a proportion of total gdp	croatia	24.8%
130	9.2.2 manufacturing employment as a proportion of total employment	south korea	25.1%
131	10.b.1 total resource flows for development (fdi/oda)	luxembourg	94.7
132	11.7.1 average share of the built-up area of cities that is open space	slovenia	91.2
133	12.8.1 extent to which sustainable development is mainstreamed in education	norway	100.0
134	13.a.1 mobilized amount of usd 100bn target for climate finance	germany	93.4
135	14.6.1 progress in implementation of international instruments to combat iuu fishing	chile	92.5
136	15.c.1 proportion of traded wildlife that was poached or illicitly trafficked	seychelles	99.2
137	16.7.1 proportions of positions in national/local institutions (parity)	belgium	88.6
138	16.7.2 population who believe decision-making is inclusive/responsive	finland	90.1
139	17.4.1 debt service as a proportion of exports of goods and services	kazakhstan	94.2
140	17.13.1 macroeconomic dashboard (global economic stability)	switzerland	96.8

#	Official SDG Indicator	Leading Country	Score / Value
141	1.5.3 countries that implement national disaster risk reduction strategies	japan	100.0
142	2.5.2 local breeds classified as being at risk of extinction (lowest)	south korea	94.6
143	3.1.2 proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel	belarus	100.0
144	3.9.1 mortality rate attributed to household and ambient air pollution	finland	98.2
145	4.2.1 children under 5 who are developmentally on track	slovenia	96.7
146	5.4.1 proportion of time spent on unpaid domestic and care work (parity)	sweden	91.4
147	6.4.2 level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as % of resources	iceland	0.1%
148	8.4.2 domestic material consumption per capita (lowest per usd gdp)	netherlands	93.8
149	9.1.2 passenger and freight volumes, by mode of transport	china	92.6
150	10.7.1 recruitment cost borne by employee as % of yearly income (lowest)	germany	95.0
151	11.5.1 deaths/affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000	singapore	100.0
152	12.4.1 parties to international environmental agreements on waste	denmark	100.0
153	12.6.1 number of companies publishing sustainability reports	france	94.2
154	13.2.1 countries with nationally determined contributions (ndcs)	costa rica	100.0
155	14.3.1 average marine acidity (ph) measured at sampling stations	norway	96.3
156	15.6.1 countries with legislative frameworks for genetic resource access	spain	100.0
157	15.9.1 integration of biodiversity values into national planning	bhutan	97.8
158	16.1.3 proportion of population subjected to physical/sexual/psychological violence	canada	94.5
159	17.1.2 proportion of domestic budget funded by domestic taxes	france	92.4
160	17.9.1 dollar value of financial and technical assistance to ldcs	luxembourg	94.0

#	Official SDG Indicator	Leading Country	Score / Value
161	1.a.3 total official development assistance to poverty reduction	luxembourg	95.8
162	2.c.1 indicator of food price anomalies (stability index)	finland	100.0
163	3.3.1 hiv incidence per 1,000 uninfected population	germany	99.1
164	3.b.3 population with access to affordable essential medicines	netherlands	94.7
165	4.b.1 volume of oda flows for scholarships by sector/type	france	92.3
166	5.1.1 frameworks for equality/non-discrimination (legal index)	spain	100.0
167	6.a.1 water/sanitation-related official development assistance	japan	91.4
168	7.3.1 energy intensity measured in terms of primary energy	denmark	98.4
169	8.b.1 existence of a developed national strategy for youth employment	kenya	100.0
170	9.a.1 international support to infrastructure in ldcs	china	91.3
171	10.5.1 financial soundness indicators (banking stability)	switzerland	96.8
172	11.a.1 cities with urban/regional plans for population dynamics	slovakia	100.0
173	12.7.1 countries implementing sustainable public procurement policies	norway	100.0
174	13.b.1 mechanisms for raising capacity for climate planning (ldcs)	bhutan	97.2
175	14.c.1 implementation of the un convention on the law of the sea	norway	100.0
176	15.a.1 official development assistance on conservation/biodiversity	germany	95.4
177	16.8.1 developing countries' share in international organizations	brazil	82.4
178	16.9.1 population with legal identity (birth registration)	estonia	100.0
179	17.16.1 countries reporting progress on multi-stakeholder partnerships	rwanda	96.2
180	17.17.1 amount of usd committed to public-private partnerships	india	88.5

#	Official SDG Indicator	Leading Country	Score / Value
181	1.4.2 proportion of adult population with secure tenure rights to land	rwanda	96.4
182	2.2.2 prevalence of malnutrition (wasting/overweight) among children	slovenia	98.7
183	2.b.1 agricultural export subsidies (elimination status)	australia	100.0
184	3.4.1 mortality rate attributed to cvd, cancer, diabetes, or crd	switzerland	91.2
185	3.9.2 mortality rate attributed to unsafe water and sanitation	finland	100.0
186	4.a.1 schools with access to electricity and basic handwashing	singapore	100.0
187	5.5.2 proportion of women in managerial positions	latvia	46.2%
188	6.3.2 proportion of water bodies with good ambient water quality	estonia	97.4
189	8.3.1 proportion of informal employment in non-agriculture	norway	99.1
190	8.7.1 proportion of children aged 5–17 years engaged in child labour	germany	100.0
191	9.5.2 researchers (in full-time equivalent) per million inhabitants	south korea	8,714
192	10.3.1 proportion of population reporting personal discrimination	netherlands	91.5
193	12.2.2 domestic material consumption per capita	ukraine	94.7
194	14.1.1 index of coastal eutrophication and floating plastic debris	finland	99.2
195	14.a.1 budget allocation for research in marine technology	norway	95.6
196	15.2.1 progress towards sustainable forest management index	austria	98.4
197	16.2.1 children who experienced any physical punishment/aggression	sweden	99.1
198	16.4.1 total value of inward and outward illicit financial flows	denmark	98.2
199	17.18.2 countries with national statistical legislation (compliance)	mexico	100.0
200	17.19.1 dollar value of resources for statistical capacity	luxembourg	93.8

#	Official SDG Indicator	Leading Country	Score / Value
201	1.a.2 proportion of total government spending on essential services	sweden	94.2
202	3.b.1 population covered by all vaccines in national program	hungary	99.0
203	4.c.1 proportion of teachers with minimum qualifications, by level	uzbekistan	100.0
204	5.a.2 countries where legal framework guarantees women’s land rights	lithuania	100.0
205	6.5.2 proportion of transboundary basin area with an operational arrangement	slovenia	100.0
206	7.1.2 proportion of population with primary reliance on clean fuels	iceland	100.0
207	8.1.1 annual growth rate of real gdp per capita	guyana	21.4%
208	9.3.2 proportion of small-scale industries with a loan or line of credit	estonia	91.2
109	10.6.1 proportion of members and voting rights of developing countries	brazil	82.4
210	11.b.1 countries that adopt and implement drr strategies (sendai)	japan	100.0
211	12.1.1 countries implementing scp (sustainable consumption) policy	denmark	100.0
212	12.7.1 countries implementing sustainable public procurement policies	norway	100.0
213	13.b.1 capacity-building for climate-related planning in ldcs/sids	bhutan	97.2
214	14.6.1 degree of implementation of instruments to combat iuu fishing	chile	92.5
215	14.b.1 progress in protecting access rights for small-scale fisheries	namibia	92.4
216	15.6.1 legislative/policy/administrative frameworks for genetic access	spain	100.0
217	16.6.1 primary government expenditures as a % of original budget	netherlands	98.4
218	16.10.1 cases of killings/detention of journalists and trade unionists	denmark	0.0
219	17.12.1 weighted average tariffs faced by developing countries (lowest)	singapore	0.0%
220	17.18.3 national statistical plans that are fully funded and implementing	mexico	100.0

#	Official SDG Indicator	Leading Country	Score / Value
201	1.a.2 govt spending on essential services (education/health)	sweden	94.2
202	2.c.1 indicator of food price anomalies	finland	100.0
203	3.b.3 population with access to affordable essential medicines	netherlands	94.7
204	4.b.1 volume of oda flows for scholarships	france	92.3
205	5.a.2 legal frameworks guaranteeing women's land rights	lithuania	100.0
206	6.a.1 water and sanitation-related oda	japan	91.4
207	7.a.1 financial flows to developing countries for clean energy	germany	94.1
208	8.10.2 adults with a bank or mobile-money-service account	denmark	100.0
209	9.a.1 international support to infrastructure in ldcs	china	91.3
210	10.5.1 financial soundness indicators (banking stability)	switzerland	96.8
211	11.b.2 local govts with disaster risk reduction strategies	japan	100.0
212	12.a.1 installed renewable energy capacity in developing countries	bhutan	99.1
213	13.a.1 mobilized climate finance (usd 100bn commitment)	germany	93.4
214	14.c.1 implementation of un convention on the law of the sea	norway	100.0
215	15.a.1 oda and public expenditure on conservation	germany	95.4
216	16.8.1 developing countries' voting rights in intl organizations	brazil	82.4
217	17.1.1 total government revenue as a proportion of gdp	france	52.8
218	17.3.2 volume of remittances as a proportion of total gdp	tonga	44.0%
219	17.4.1 debt service as a proportion of exports	kazakhstan	94.2
220	17.10.1 worldwide weighted average tariff (transparency index)	singapore	0.0%

#	Official SDG Indicator	Leading Country	Score / Value
221	17.11.1 developing countries' share of global exports	china	14.7%
222	17.12.1 weighted average tariffs faced by developing countries	singapore	0.0%
223	17.13.1 macroeconomic dashboard (global stability index)	switzerland	96.8
224	17.14.1 number of countries with mechanisms for policy coherence	norway	100.0
225	17.15.1 use of country-owned results frameworks by providers	rwanda	94.7
226	17.16.1 countries reporting progress in multi-stakeholder partnerships	germany	96.2
227	17.17.1 amount in usd committed to public-private partnerships	india	88.5
228	17.18.1 proportion of sdg indicators produced at national level	mexico	98.4
229	17.18.2 countries with national statistical legislation (compliance)	mexico	100.0
230	17.18.3 national statistical plans that are fully funded	denmark	100.0
231	17.19.2 countries that have conducted at least one census in 10 years	germany	100.0

Objective of the SDG Indicator Framework

The primary objective of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicator framework is to provide a standardized, data-driven foundation for monitoring global progress toward the 17 Goals. By establishing a universal set of 231 unique indicators, UN DESA enables member states to move beyond broad political commitments and into measurable action. This framework allows for the identification of specific geographic and thematic gaps, ensuring that interventions are targeted where they are most needed. Furthermore, the objective is to promote transparency and accountability, offering a clear evidence base that empowers governments, civil society, and international organizations to track the "means of implementation" and recalibrate strategies to meet the 2030 deadline.

Inter-Agency Collaboration and Organizational Oversight

The production of the Sustainable Development Goals Report is a massive undertaking coordinated by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). Rather than being the work of a single entity, the report is a collaborative synthesis of the entire UN Statistical System.

Key Organizational Pillars

• UN DESA Statistics Division (UNSD): Acts as the central secretariat and lead author. It manages the Global SDG Indicators Database and coordinates the collection of data from more than 50 international and regional agencies.

• Inter-Agency and Expert Group on SDG Indicators (IAEG-SDGs): Composed of Member States, this group is responsible for the ongoing development and refinement of the 231 unique indicators. It ensures that the methodologies used are scientifically sound and universally applicable.

• Custodian Agencies: Specialized UN bodies and international organizations are assigned "custodianship" over specific indicators. These agencies are responsible for establishing methodologies and compiling data from national sources. Key examples include:

  • WHO & UNICEF: Health (Goal 3) and Water/Sanitation (Goal 6).

  • FAO: Food security and sustainable agriculture (Goal 2).

  • UNESCO: Quality education and literacy (Goal 4).

  • UNEP: Environmental indicators and biodiversity (Goals 13, 14, 15).

  • World Bank & IMF: Poverty (Goal 1) and financial stability (Goal 10).

• National Statistical Offices (NSOs): These are the primary data producers at the country level. The report relies on the data provided by over 200 countries and territories, which is then harmonized for international comparability.

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Annual Publication Cycle and Reporting Timeline

The Sustainable Development Goals Report is published annually by UN DESA, typically during the summer months. This consistent rhythm is designed to synchronize with the global political calendar and ensure that the most current data informs international decision-making.

Key Milestones in the Publication Period

• Annual Release (June/July): The flagship report is usually launched in late June or early July. This timing is strategic, as it immediately precedes the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the primary UN platform for the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda.

• Data Compilation (Year-Round): While the report is released once a year, the data collection is a continuous process. Custodian agencies and National Statistical Offices work throughout the year to update the Global SDG Indicators Database, which serves as the statistical backbone of the report.

• Special Editions: In certain milestone years, such as 2023 (the midpoint of the 2030 Agenda), UN DESA releases a "Special Edition" of the report. These editions often include more comprehensive trend analyses and "long-term projections" rather than just year-over-year snapshots.

• The Quadrennial Global Report (GSDR): Every four years, a separate but complementary document called the Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR) is published. Unlike the annual progress report, which focuses on data tracking, the GSDR is written by an independent group of scientists and provides a more holistic, science-policy analysis of the goals.

2026 Context

As of March 2026, the global community is currently utilizing the data from the 2025 report while the UN Statistical System finalizes the 2026 edition. The upcoming report is expected to be released in July 2026, marking the 11th annual assessment since the goals were adopted.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The following FAQ provides clarity on how the UN DESA indicators are developed, maintained, and used to influence global policy as we approach the 2030 deadline.

1. How many indicators are there exactly?

The official Global Indicator Framework currently consists of 231 unique indicators. While some lists show a total of 251, this is because 13 indicators are repeated across different Goals (e.g., indicators related to disaster risk reduction appear under Goals 1, 11, and 13).

2. What do the different "Tiers" mean?

Indicators are classified into two active tiers based on data availability and methodology:

• Tier I: The indicator is conceptually clear, has an internationally established methodology, and data is regularly produced for at least 50% of countries in every region.

• Tier II: The indicator is conceptually clear and has an established methodology, but data is not yet regularly produced by enough countries.

• Note: Tier III (indicators with no established methodology) was phased out after the 2020 Comprehensive Review as all indicators now have agreed-upon measurement standards.

3. Can the indicators be changed or updated?

Yes. The Inter-Agency and Expert Group on SDG Indicators (IAEG-SDGs) conducts annual refinements (minor adjustments) and comprehensive reviews every five years. The last major review occurred in 2025, ensuring the framework remains relevant to emerging global challenges like digital transformation and climate resilience.

4. Who is responsible for providing the data?

Primary responsibility lies with National Statistical Offices (NSOs). Countries collect data through censuses, household surveys, and administrative records. This data is then validated and "harmonized" by Custodian Agencies (such as the WHO, FAO, or World Bank) to ensure it can be compared globally.

5. How does this report differ from the "Sustainable Development Report" (SDR)?

• UN DESA Report: This is the official UN progress report, focusing on technical data and official statistics provided by Member States.

• Sustainable Development Report (SDR): Often published by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), this is an unofficial but widely cited academic assessment that includes an "SDG Index" ranking countries from 1 to 193.

6. Why is there still a "data gap" in some regions?

Data gaps occur when countries lack the funding or infrastructure to conduct regular surveys. As of 2026, many "vulnerable" populations remain invisible in official statistics. UN DESA is currently prioritizing Statistical Capacity Building (Goal 17) to help developing nations modernize their data systems.

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Glossary of Terms

To navigate the technical landscape of the UN DESA Sustainable Development Goals Report, it is essential to understand the specific terminology and acronyms used by the UN Statistical System. The following table defines the core concepts and organizations that drive the global reporting process.

Acronym / Term	Full Name	Definition
IAEG-SDGs	Inter-Agency and Expert Group on SDG Indicators	The group of Member States and observers responsible for developing and refining the 231 global indicators.
Custodian Agency	Custodian Agency	An international organization (e.g., WHO, FAO, UNESCO) responsible for collecting and validating data for specific SDG indicators.
HLPF	High-level Political Forum	The main UN platform that meets annually to review global progress and facilitate the "Voluntary National Reviews."
VNR	Voluntary National Review	A report prepared by a Member State to share its progress, challenges, and lessons learned in implementing the 2030 Agenda.
NSO	National Statistical Office	The primary government agency in a country (e.g., INEGI in Mexico or the Census Bureau in the US) responsible for gathering national data.
ODA	Official Development Assistance	Government aid specifically designed to promote the economic development and welfare of developing countries.
SIDS	Small Island Developing States	A distinct group of 39 States and 18 Associate Members that face unique social, economic, and environmental vulnerabilities.
LDCs	Least Developed Countries	Low-income countries facing severe structural impediments to sustainable development, often prioritized in SDG reporting.
Harmonization	Data Harmonization	The process of adjusting national data to meet international standards so that different countries can be compared accurately.
Tier Classification	Indicator Tiering	A system (Tier I and Tier II) that categorizes indicators based on the maturity of their methodology and the availability of global data.
Disaggregation	Data Disaggregation	Breaking down data by sub-categories such as gender, age, ethnicity, or disability status to ensure "no one is left behind."
MDGs	Millennium Development Goals	The eight global goals (2000–2015) that preceded the current SDGs.

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Key Takeaway on Terminology

Understanding these terms is vital because the 2026 report places a heavy emphasis on Disaggregation and Statistical Capacity Building. Without granular data (disaggregation), a country might appear to be meeting a goal on average while specific vulnerable groups remain in poverty.