Assessment of data availability for the SDG indicators in Iceland

The Institute for Sustainability Studies at the University of Iceland was hired by the the Icelandic government in 2017 for an initiative linked to the SDGs. An SDG working group was established in order to identify some data, as a means to evaluate whether the data that had been found was correct or not. The data came from the University and was evaluated by experts who were connected with SDG targets and indicators. These experts evaluated the data for a particular SDG indicator through a survey, which was based on a self-assessment template for countries on the availability of global SDG indicators by the CES Steering Group on statistics for the SDGs. Approximately 100 experts from the University and the Government were involved in this initiative. 

The data sources were multiplied and in the end the analysis revealed that data was collected fully or partially in Iceland for 98 of the 137 indicators deemed relevant out of the overall global set. A table listing listing data availability was born from this initiative, as well as more appropriate and robust data sources, and international databanks for each SDG indicator. In addition, a list of experts connected to the relevant SDG indicators also appeared. 

Through this project, the University of Iceland had an important contribution to the reinforcment of the government’s monitoring and accountability, including for its 2019 Voluntary National Review. 

This initiative is listed in the Global SDG Accountability Report thanks to the participation of Ingunn Gunnarsdottir, project leader and researcher at The Institute for Sustainability Studies. 

Link to the report : https://secureservercdn.net/166.62.112.219/9bz.99d.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/GlobalSDGAccountabilityReport_pages_hRes-1.pdf