The world is more than halfway through the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which was agreed in 2015 by 193 countries. Yet only 17% of measurable targets for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are on track to be achieved by the end of this decade¹. A course correction and a renewed push are needed. Both hinge on a crucial element — data.

Data relevant to the SDGs are riddled with gaps. Geographic coverage is patchy, information collection is often slow, and crucial data about marginalized groups are missing. Fewer than half of the world’s countries have been able to report internationally comparable data since 2015 on key goals such as climate action, gender equality and governance.