UN Information Commons for the SDGs expands to extra companies

One yr in the past, we announced a collaboration between Google’s Data Commons and the Statistics Division of the United Nations Division of Financial and Social Affairs (UN DESA). The objective of our work is to attach knowledge from throughout the UN system and make it extra accessible and simpler to make use of. Beforehand, the information was fragmented and tough to entry, making it difficult for teams like policymakers, NGOs and residents to make totally knowledgeable choices.

In response, Google’s Information Commons group and the UN, with funding from Google.org, co-developed the UN Data Commons for the SDGs (Sustainable Improvement Targets). It’s a one-stop hub that makes use of digital and AI capabilities to assist implement the SDGs, fostering a collaborative knowledge tradition throughout companies by offering related insights and powering data-driven decisionmaking.

In keeping with this yr’s UNGA theme of “Accelerating Options and Making a Resilient Digital Future,” the UN is now increasing Information Commons into many further companies. Our current work with the United Nations Worldwide Computing Centre (UNICC) will permit our preliminary work with UN DESA to scale throughout all UN companies, together with the World Well being Group, the Worldwide Labour Group and UNICEF. The initiative instantly helps the UN Secretary-Normal’s knowledge technique, which goals to ship data-driven options throughout areas like local weather, well being and agriculture.

“UN Information Commons for the SDGs would not simply present entry to essential info; it democratizes insights,” says Stefan Schweinfest, director of the United Nations Statistics Division. “By way of an interactive AI interface, unified entry and clear visualization, the platform goals to empower customers to discover traits, make comparisons, and finally make extra knowledgeable choices for a greater world. It is a testomony to the facility of open knowledge to drive understanding, innovation, and, finally, progress in the direction of the Sustainable Improvement Targets.”

With simply six years remaining to the UN’s formidable 2030 goal, the most recent SDG report illustrates that greater than 80% of the SDGs are nonetheless off monitor. Whereas commendable progress has been made, there’s a want for stronger and more practical motion to handle essential international points reminiscent of poverty, starvation, clear vitality and gender fairness. With its growth into further companies, we hope that the UN Information Commons for the SDGs will proceed to decrease knowledge boundaries and chart the trail to 2030.