SDGCounting
@sdgcounting
Tracking progress on counting and measuring the success of the Sustainable Development Goals. An initiative of StartingUpGood. #SDGs #GlobalGoals #Data
Registration for the 6th UN World Data Forum opens tomorrow. Hosted by Saudi Arabia in Riyadh this November (9-12), it is the leading global gathering on data for sustainable development. Watch #UNDataForum and GASTAT to sign up. https://unstats.un.org/unsd/undataforum/
The 2026 Sustainable Development Goals Report launches next month at #HLPF, with the draft available now. It makes a cautiously hopeful case that 2030 is still reachable, even as conflict, ODA cuts, and a $4 trillion financing gap slow the pace. Download: https://ow.ly/1cUg50ZhzQb
The UN's Independent Scientific Panel on AI gave its first General Assembly update on June 19. Its preliminary report lands at the Geneva Global Dialogue on AI Governance on July 6. It is meant to give governments a shared evidence base on AI. Full session on UN Web TV. https://ow.ly/vzw450ZfkWH
The development case for open AI sits downstream. Open models lower the cost of adapting tools to local languages, sectors, and resource-limited settings, where they have enabled low-cost healthcare diagnostics. OECD's analysis puts numbers to this: https://ow.ly/wf9k50Z6HzZ
Forests are central to climate stability, biodiversity, livelihoods and the #SDGs. The new Global Forest Goals Report 2026 finds progress is being made, but not fast enough: 7 targets are broadly met, 17 are partially achieved and 2 are off track. Read the report: https://ow.ly/jnjW50YYWhH
Did you know the 2026 Science, Technology and Innovation Forum includes 38 virtual side events this week, with more than 20 scheduled for today alone? Sessions cover AI, data, water, health, climate resilience, open science and SDG implementation. Full list: https://ow.ly/Eto950YVvuZ #STIForum
What do mountain gorillas, livestock farmers in Thailand, and health champions in Nigeria have in common? They were all part of a #OneHealth session at the #SkollWF 2026, which discussed how integrated health solutions can be governed, financed, and scaled. https://ow.ly/O34N50YQnvi
Across Africa, knowledge is fragmented, analog, and invisible to any AI system. But according to Kate Kallot, it is also the richest raw material in the digital economy. Speaking at #SkollWF 2026, the founder and CEO of Amini argued to make this #data available. https://ow.ly/KmCm50YPIPS
A recent #SkollWF 2026 session "Designing #AI for Transformative Change" addressed the importance of #Data as infrastructure. Compute matters. Connectivity matters. But without the right data, none of it works. Explore these practical examples: https://ow.ly/qeyv50YP6b8
What keeps the world's forests standing? At #SkollWF 2026 "Forests on the Frontline", five changemakers offered hard-won lessons from the Amazon and Indonesia. Forest protection and economic prosperity are not opposites — the social bioeconomy is proven. https://ow.ly/m3p250YOMFU #SDG15
What does it really take to turn the green transition into real economic opportunity? At #SkollWF 2026, practitioners pointed to what is working and what still needs to change. Register to watch the full conversation: https://ow.ly/TXpi50YOc3Q #SDG8 #SDG13
AI adoption is moving faster than AI governance. A new UNESCO and Thomson Reuters Foundation report finds many companies are using AI, but far fewer show clear accountability, worker protections, or data governance. https://ow.ly/gFqo50YFFUj
The World Happiness Report goes beyond rankings. It treats development as multi-dimensional, combining income, health, trust, and social connection. One finding: “Nearly twice as many countries had significant gains as had significant losses.” https://www.worldhappiness.report/ed/2026/
“Different industries around the world, and different countries around the world, need the ability to customize their own models.” ~Jensen Huang, at #NVIDIAGTC Good to see AI sovereignty and localized AI tools entering the conversations at the cutting edge.
Next week we will be following sessions at #SXSWEDU that relate to the #SDGs, #AIForGood, Global Connections, and Educational Access. Let us know if there are any speakers or talks that are capturing your attention. https://schedule.sxswedu.com/ [Photo Credit: Miguel Esparza]
36 countries will present Voluntary National Reviews (#VNRs) at #HLPF 2026. Most are returning for their 3rd review, while Togo and Uruguay reach their 5th. Nearly all UN Member States have now reported at least once (all but Haiti, Myanmar and the US). https://hlpf.un.org/2026/vnrs
Happening today (and streamed on UN Web TV): AI-readiness for Official Data and Statistics #SDGs #Data #AI #NationalStatistics https://unstats.un.org/UNSDWebsite/events-details/un57sc-ai-readiness-for-official-data-and-statistics-27Feb2026/
Don't miss today's Devex newswire with a great on-the-ground recap of last week's India AI Impact Summit. #AIforGood https://ow.ly/XKr950Yl0eY
Happening this week: “Lessons from a Decade of SDG Monitoring” A practical look at what worked, what didn’t, and how SDG data can be more usable and timely in the final push to 2030. Feb 11, 8:00am ET. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/meetings/iaeg-sdgs-side-event-UNSC57/ #UN57SC #SDGs
Some good news out of #Davos! Matt Damon shared how Water.org is scaling access to safe water through Get Blue. They are shifting water from charity to investment, culture, and real-world impact. https://ow.ly/GScz50Y0A87 #WEF26
Most companies have an AI pilot. Far fewer have an AI capability. That was the quiet punchline of this #WEF26 discussion: the hard part isn’t proving AI works in a sandbox. It’s rewiring the business so AI can reliably deliver outcomes at scale. https://ow.ly/32W450Y0muG
“Many of the people most affected by what we talk about here will never come to this conference. That’s a central tension of this forum. Davos is an elite gathering trying to shape a world that belongs to everyone.” -Larry Fink at Welcoming Remarks of #WEF2026
#WEF26 starts today! Here are sessions to watch from a variety of perspectives: SDGs: https://ow.ly/f3jb50XYOpb Tech for Good: https://ow.ly/WkZC50XYOpe AI Impact: https://ow.ly/H6Qv50XYOp8 Responsible Investing: https://ow.ly/6hpu50XYOp4 Startups & Entrepreneurship: https://ow.ly/Na6n50XYOpc
AI innovation doesn’t stop at borders—and governance can’t either. The #CES26 session "Innovation Without Borders" underscored why shared standards, skills investment, and cross-border cooperation will shape whether AI advances #SDGs or deepens divides. https://ow.ly/2zQa50XT7pa
Live now: #CES 2026 Trends to Watch We will be watching for signs that could impact sustainable development. live.ces.tech/detail/ref:2...
UN DESA’s early look at the global economy in 2026 points to fragile growth, high debt, uneven recovery, and uncertain AI gains. Key context ahead of the World Economic Situation and Prospects 2026 report, due later this week. https://ow.ly/mb8q50XS0aU
Skills are a constraint behind nearly every SDG conversation. The 2025 OECD Skills Outlook focuses on disparities in who develops, uses, and benefits from 21st-century skills. Progress on decent work, productivity, and resilience requires investment. https://ow.ly/PScp50XIxu7