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Layout of the SDG online platform

The online platform comprises two components, namely the German set of indicators for the global sustainable development goals (Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the indicator set of the German Sustainable Development Strategy (Deutsche Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie, DNS). Since the German Sustainable Development Strategy is aimed at implementing the 2030 Agenda at the national level, indicators shared by both strategies are linked to each other on the platform.

A direct link to the homepage of the DNS online platform can be found at the top right of this page next to the search field:

Structure of the SDG online platform

The SDG online platform comprises goals, targets and related indicators (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1: Example of the structure of SDGs based on goal 11 “Sustainable Cities and Communities“ (as of July 2020)

Presentation of SDG indicators

Each SDG indicator is displayed on a separate page. Depending on the indicator, different selection menus are shown on the left. The first selection menu contains all time series available for the indicator. In the sub-menus you can select various variable values depending on the data series - e.g. different age groups.

The development of the time series is visualised in a chart. Click on the second tab next to “Chart“ to view, in a table, the data underlying the chart and all other data available from the selection menus (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2: Example of the presentation of SDG indicators using indicator 11.7.1 (as of April 2020)

Below, there are green buttons that allow the data to be downloaded in CSV format and, in the case of the chart, also as a PNG file.

Metadata and data sources

At the bottom of the indicator pages you can see the following three tabs: “National Metadata“, “Global Metadata“ and “Data Sources“.

The “National Metadata“ tab provides a list of the national time series which correspond most closely to the global metadata. The national metadata sheet includes a comparison with the global requirements and related methodological and country-specific information.

Each SDG indicator is managed by one or more custodian agencies. The custodian agencies, in consultation with the IAEG-SDGs, a statistical working group of the United Nations, determine the exact definition of and methodology for the respective indicator and publish these as global metadata. These can be found in the “Global metadata“ tab (Fig. 3). In addition to the indicator‘s detailed target, the Tier classification of the indicator is listed here as well.

The “Data sources“ tab provides links to the organisation(s) that submitted the data for the time series and, where possible, also direct links to the relevant data sources.

Comparison of SDG and DNS indicators

There are numerous overlaps between the indicators of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the indicators of the German Sustainable Development Strategy (DNS).

About half of the DNS- indicators are similar to or congruent with the SDG- indicators. Both sets of indicators are also structured according to the 17 goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda, as the DNS represents the national implementation ofGerman Sustainable Development Strategy is aimed at implementing the global agenda. at the national level. More information on the DNSGerman strategy can be found in the “Useful information“ section „Interesting Facts“ andunder DNS.

However, there are also differences. The names of the DNS indicators and especially their numbering are not identical to those of the SDG indicators. If an SDG indicator is comparable to a DNS indicator, this is indicated by a button with a direct link to the respective indicator (Fig. 3).

Fig. 3: Position of the direct link to similar or congruent indicators of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the German Sustainable Development Strategy (as of July 2020)