Updated SDG Land Tracker makes dispersed land data easily accessible

February 2, 2022 (GLOBAL) — Six years into the establishment of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Land Portal is re-examining progress made on land-related SDG indicators. More than a dozen land-related indicators are housed over five SDG goals. The newly updated SDG Land Tracker features completely revised and updated narratives for 13 land-related indicators describing why the indicator is important and how the indicators are measured and monitored. Each of the narratives was peer reviewed by the SDG custodian agencies. 

The SDG Land Tracker also provides easy access to data and information on the land-specific SDG indicators. Land is a key economic resource inextricably linked to access, use, and control over other natural resources and thus is critical to achieving the SDGs.

Indicators on the SDG Land Tracker include: 

• 1.4.2 on perceptions of tenure security; 
• 5.a.1 and 5.a.2 on gender and land rights; 
• 2.3.1, 2.3.2, and 2.4.1 relating to food security; 
• 11.1.1., 11.3.1, and 11.7.1 on housing and urban tenure; and 
• 15.1.1, 15.1.2, 15.2.1, and 15.3.1 relating to forests, conservation, and degradation.

Importantly, the SDG Land Tracker includes official data for 10 out of the 13 indicators, sourced from the United Nations and custodian agencies and made available on the Land Portal as Linked Open Data. Official indicator data is visualized on a global map.

The SDG Land Tracker also provides a timeline featuring important decisions and key events that have been made for land indicators, Moreover, the Tracker consolidates a wide range of blogs, news, events, debates, and library resources relating specifically to each indicator.

“Information about progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, and in particular those relating to land, helps us understand where progress has been made and where greater efforts are needed,” says Laura Meggiolaro, Land Portal Team Leader. “The SDG Land Tracker provides the most comprehensive overview of data and information on indicators related to land available,” she continued. “We hope the land sector and beyond continue to use and benefit from the SDG Land Tracker.”

In 2015, UN member States endorsed the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and committed to implement the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a 15-year period. The SDGs contain land-related targets and indicators, and many national, regional and global organizations and stakeholders in the land sector have been monitoring the land-related indicators to promote responsible land governance and secure tenure rights for all.

Reflections from SDG Custodians 

Veronica Boero, Team Leader of the Social and Economic Statistics Team in the Statistic Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, discusses the role of the SDG indicators in protecting women's land rights and the interests of smallholder farmers. 

Monitoring land tenure rights for all provides key sex disagregated data needed to fight poverty, gender and income inequalities and ensure no one or place is left behind. Land tenure rights data is also critical for urban planning, fostering peace and contributing towards achieving land degradation neutrality. Measuring progress on land related Indicators in the SDGs are key to realizing success.

- Everlyne  Nairesiae, Global Land Indicator Initiative (GLII) Coordinator

The SDG Land Tracker offers a comprehensive and interactive tool for users to monitor the forest-related SDG indicators and make evidence-based decisions regarding the conservation and sustainable management of forests.

-  Anne Branthomme, Forestry Officer, FAO

Originally established by the Land Portal Foundation and the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN) in 2017 with the financial support of the Omidyar Network and long-term support of the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the SDG Land Tracker is maintained with ongoing support from Germany's Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) as part of the Strengthening Advisory Capacities for Land Governance in Africa (SLGA) Project, commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

ABOUT THE LAND PORTAL FOUNDATION: 
The Land Portal Foundation was established to create, curate and disseminate land governance information by fostering an inclusive and accessible data ecosystem. Over the last decade, the portal has evolved from a simple information gateway to become a knowledge broker, a resource base, a vibrant online community of users and a trusted voice within global land governance. Contact: Neil Sorensen, neil.sorensen@landportal.info
 
ABOUT THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS: 
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.