Five years after the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is still constrained, to a certain extent, by the lack of data on progress, inadequate statistical methods, the diverse issues concerning SDGs localization, and the multitude of indicators that are both intertwined and mutually restrictive. Big Earth Data, an innovative technology, can serve as a new key to unlocking Earth's secrets and a new engine to drive discoveries. This year's report focuses on Big Earth Data's contributions to monitoring and evaluating six SDGs—SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 14 (Life below Water), and SDG 15 (Life on Land)—through data products, methodologies and models, and policy-making support.
The 2019 report on "Big Earth Data in Support of the Sustainable Development Goals" discussed indicator development and sustainability evaluation in 27 typical cases focusing on six SDGs: Zero Hunger (SDG 2), Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6), Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11), Climate Action (SDG13), Life below Water (SDG 14) and Life on Land (SDG 15). It provided a more systematic support scheme by conducting thorough research and assessment of relevant SDGs and their targets covering the perspectives of data, methods, and decision supports at local, national, regional, and global scales. In addition, this report demonstrated the value and prospects of Big Earth Data-enabled technologies and methods to the monitoring and evaluation of SDGs, offered a new perspective and support by filling data and methodology gaps for the international community to the implementation of the UN 2030 agenda.