The OECD Hub on Sustainable Development Goals

The Hub provides a clear snapshot of national strengths and weaknesses in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It helps countries navigate the SDGs’ complexity, set priorities, and allocate resources effectively to improve data and measure distance to SDGs targets.

The OECD’s methodology goes beyond a one-time snapshot, enabling countries to monitor progress over time by analyzing past trends. Its data inventory allows to measure how far countries are from achieving SDG targets, and also highlights critical data gaps, fostering international knowledge-sharing and setting future priorities in data collection.

Countries’ distance to a target is measured as the standardised difference between a country’s current position and the target’s end-value. Each bar on the wheel chart represents progress toward a specific SDG target, with longer bars indicating shorter distances to complete the goal by 2030. The bars are color-coded by goal.

The outer ring of the wheel represents corresponding Goals, labelled as follows: SDG 1: No Poverty; SDG 2: Zero Hunger; SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being; SDG 4: Quality Education; SDG 5: Gender Equality; SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation; SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy; SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth; SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities; SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities; SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production; SDG 13: Climate Action; SDG 14: Life Below Water; SDG 15: Life on Land; SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions; and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

The OECD’s methodology for measuring the distance to SDG targets is known for its statistical rigor and the integration of multiple data sources, aligned with the UN’s Global Indicator Framework and complemented by OECD datasets for greater coverage and granularity. This approach assesses both current performance and trends to estimate future progress. By examining specific targets rather than broader goals, the methodology supports precise, evidence-based policymaking and effective priority-setting.