The 2030 Agenda requires a robust global data ecosystem. At the national level, it demands efforts to ensure that each country has the statistical capacity, data policies, and processes in place to generate the data needed for reporting. Countries will need to ensure their reporting is done in accordance with the UN’s Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics, and provide standardized, well-documented data from official data sources. And in deciding how to report on the SDGs, they will need to determine which technical approach best meets their needs and is sustainable through 2030.

This section includes resources to help countries assess their data resources, familiarize themselves with relevant data and metadata standards, and understand the various technical options available.