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SDSN Announces Partnership Expansion with Esri to Restore and Accelerate SDG Progress

By Maelle Voil

The Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and Esri, the global leader in location intelligence, announced today the expansion of their partnership to help restore and accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through improved and more timely data and direct engagement with decision makers in the public and private sector.

The Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and Esri , the global leader in location intelligence, announced today the expansion of their partnership to help restore and accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through improved and more timely data and direct engagement with decision makers in the public and private sector.

The partnership is set within the framework of the new SDG Transformation Center which will be launched by SDSN ahead of the September 2023 UN SDG Summit at Heads of States level. The SDG Transformation Center will become a first of its kind platform for learning and exchange on SDG data, policies, and financial instruments to help restore and accelerate SDG progress globally. The Center will build on SDSN’s global network, thematic expertise, and instruments.

This new multiyear partnership between SDSN and Esri will aim to strengthen both organizations’ work on the SDGs. The partnership will focus on four key mutually beneficial pillars for restoring and accelerating progress on the SDGs:

  1. enable the discovery, use and reuse of openly available SDG data,
  2. develop new indicators and datasets to fill critical information gaps building on georeferenced information,
  3. create an information and knowledge sharing Hub for the upcoming SDG Transformation Center, and
  4. jointly advance a geographic approach to the SDGs through community engagement, training, and events with international institutions, governments and other relevant partners.

“Applying our best geospatial data and science to the SDGs will help better understand and address inequality around the world,” said Jack Dangermond, Esri founder and president. “Our partnership with SDSN represents a commitment to advancing a geographic approach to these global goals, delivering data and GIS solutions that can accelerate our ability to achieve a more sustainable future for everyone.”

About Esri:

Esri, the global market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping, helps customers unlock the full potential of data to improve operational and business results. Founded in 1969 in Redlands, California, USA, Esri software is deployed in more than 350,000 organizations globally and in over 200,000 institutions in the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, nonprofits, and universities. Esri has regional offices, international distributors, and partners providing local support in over 100 countries on six continents. With its pioneering commitment to geospatial information technology, Esri engineers the most innovative solutions for digital transformation, the Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics. Visit us at esri.com.

About SDSN:

The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) has been operating since 2012 under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General. It mobilizes global scientific and technological expertise to promote practical solutions for sustainable development, including the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement. SDSN works closely with United Nations agencies, multilateral financing institutions, the private sector, and civil society. www.unsdsn.org