Monitoring the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals: The role of the data revolution

The paper examines the transition from monitoring the Millennium Development Goals to monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the implications for developing countries, and the support that the data revolution could provide. The indicators agreed for the SDG targets are discussed in terms of data requirements and the different types of data currently collected. The potential for the data revolution to strengthen open data and access to data in terms of connectivity is also explored. The latter is seen as being central to increasing accountability as part of the monitoring process. The paper looks into the areas that the EU might prioritise and how these could contribute to the broader Follow-Up and Review framework proposed by the UN Secretary General for consideration by the UN General Assembly, as well as offering recommendations for EU support to its development partner countries.

The paper was requested by the European Parliament's Committee on Development (DEVE) and edited by Trans European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA), Belgium.