To catalyze transformative progress on the SDGs, GIS must be prioritized

As 2025 begins — and we near the Agenda 2030 deadline — the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), face mounting urgency. Despite international commitment, progress remains uneven, often hindered by persistent data gaps and a lack of localized insights. 

Advancements in geospatial technologies offer a transformative path forward. By leveraging Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and cutting-edge satellite image derived datasets, policymakers can address disparities, close data gaps, and catalyze impactful action.

Yet, challenges persist. Only 54% of UN Member States report sufficient data for SDG indicators, and the integration of geospatial tools with traditional statistical frameworks remains uneven. These gaps prevent effective decision-making, underscoring the need to better harness the power of GIS.

To ensure transformative progress for sustainable development in the years to come, integrating geospatial data into global and local SDG strategies must become a priority. 

GIS offers a myriad of benefits for policymakers, including bridging data gaps and reducing aggregation bias. For instance, new indicator datasets introduced by the SDG Transformation Center like Land Use Efficiency (11.3.1) and the Rural Access Index (9.1.1) greatly profit from satellite-derived input datasets, automating data collection, reducing processing time, and expanding access to reliable insights. This also reduces dependability on nationally-produced data on urban footprints and road coverage in data-scarce regions, such as Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. By scaling up these tools, we can more effectively monitor SDG targets.

Furthermore, subnational analyses, powered by GIS, can address aggregation bias often found in national SDG reporting. In 2024, 31 new Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) were published across cities and regions in countries like Mexico, South Africa, and Finland, highlighting localized progress and disparities. Recent advances in machine learning have led to models that combine satellite imagery with national-scale data (such as the Human Development Index or the Gross Domestic Product) in order to predict scores at state and municipality levels. A working paper recently published by The SDG Transformation Center identified disparities in SDG Index scores at the community level, providing nuanced insights for targeted action.

Yet, multi-sectoral collaboration and investment in capacity building are central to realizing these efforts. And collaboration remains central to maximizing the impact of GIS. Initiatives, such as the UN Working Group on Geospatial Information (WGGI), provide frameworks for integrating geospatial data into national development plans. Additionally, global datasets like Overture Maps, Esri’s Global Land Cover, the Google Earth Engine Community Catalog, and the JRC Atlas of the Human Planet are enhancing SDG reporting granularity and comparability by providing datasets needed for calculating indicators at local levels. Partnerships between governments, private companies, NGOs, and civil society will also be critical to sustaining this momentum.

To fully realize GIS’s potential, policymakers, planners, and professionals must also be equipped with the necessary skills and processing capabilities – which are becoming more and more available through the development of cloud-native applications, such as FAO’s Sepal and other free Earth Engine based apps. Investing in capacity-building programs, workshops, and knowledge-sharing initiatives will empower stakeholders to utilize geospatial tools effectively for SDG monitoring. The Benin Government, for example, has engaged in a partnership with the SDSN to produce yearly SDG reports since 2022, and Uzbekistan just followed the same path this year.

To ensure meaningful progress toward the SDGs, the global community must increase funding for geospatial data infrastructure and training to ensure equitable access across all regions. We must establish globally-recognized standards to improve the interoperability of geospatial and statistical data. And we must foster resource sharing, technology transfer, and expertise exchange to address common SDG challenges.

Geospatial tools offer an unparalleled opportunity to monitor progress, uncover disparities, and drive targeted interventions. By prioritizing collaboration, innovation, and equitable access to geospatial technologies, 2025 can mark a turning point in the pursuit of sustainable development.