18 January 2016: The UN Statistics Division (UNSD) has published a compilation of “metadata” (information about data, data production and use) for the proposed global indicators for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The metadata show existing data on each indicator, based on input from UN agencies, funds and programmes, other UN offices and entities, regional commissions and other international and regional organizations.

The metadata are presented in a separate PDF document for each of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Each document states the Goal’s targets and indicators and then provides information on available indicators. Information includes: the entity that collects the indicator data; the definition and method of computation; sources and data collection (i.e. national or household surveys, databases or other relevant forms of information); disaggregation; comments and limitations; gender equality issues; data for global and regional monitoring; supplementary information and references; and current data availability.

The document also notes indicators for which no metadata have been received. On SDG 1 on poverty, for example, no metadata exist for: Indicator 1.2.2 on the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its definitions; Indicator 1.3.1 on the percentage of the population covered by social protection floors; Indicator 1.5.1 on number of deaths, missing, injured, relocated or evacuated people due to disasters; Indicator 1.a1 on percentage of resources allocated by the government to poverty reduction programmes; Indicator 1.a.2 on spending on essential services as a percentage of total government spending; and Indicator 1.b.1 on number of national action plans related to multi-lateral environmental agreements that support accelerated investments in actions that eradicate poverty and sustainably use natural resources.

The Inter-Agency Expert Group on the SDG Indicators (IAEG-SDGs) is expected to discuss a standard format for the compilation and dissemination of metadata at its third meeting, in March 2016 (IAEG-SDGs 3).

The IAEG-SDGs has proposed 231 global indicators to the UN Statistical Commission (UNSC), which is expected to take action on the proposal at its 47th Session, held on 8-11 March 2016. [Metadata Compilation] [OECD Definition of Metadata] [IISD RS Story on Proposed Indicators]