Open Data to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

BY NGUYEN TRANG

The world is facing increasingly complexed and interconnected problems, demanding shared responsibility and contributions of all nationals. In 2015, all member states of the United Nations ratified the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to join hands in poverty reduction, planet protection and peace building by 2030 with commitments to balance social, economic and environmental aspects.

To contribute to achieving those SDGs, I believe we, especially governments, need to promote open data across countries to be able to detect problems and execute solutions. Open data are accessible for everyone to use and share. Like two heads are better than one, sharing data for a wider access can help us identify problems and seek better solutions, including our shared problems in the world. WorldBank reports that Open Data can help reach the SDGs by “(1) fostering economic growth and job creation, (2) improving efficiency and effectiveness of public services, (3) increasing transparency, accountability and citizen participation and (4) facilitating better information-sharing within government”. This blog will provide and analyze some case studies to reinforce this argument.

1. World Bank and Open Data for economic development

According to the Word Bank, Open Data enable us to achieve and measure our performance to meet the SDGs. Achieving and measuring is possible because by being able to access to the data, we can gain better information about our natural resources, economic performance, operation of public services, demographics, etc. The data will become evidence to illustrate problems of priorities for government, which then are translated to action through policies, laws, and regulations. If the data is covered, for example, accessibility is provided for government officials only, how can people give constructive reactions, know the truth and raise voice to demand for actions from the government?

Understanding that, the World Bank has built an open database in which everyone can access to know basic socio-economic performance of almost all countries in the world. Such data as GDP, FDI, income, etc. can influence the investment and business-doing decision by investors. They can also help researchers or any citizen to lodge complaints or point out an economic problem to the governments. Through open data, a bottom up policy making process is facilitated, helping to achieve the SDGs.

2. Singapore opens data for improving efficiency and effectiveness of public services

In Singapore, there are at least six mobile apps that can help you move around in the city with efficiency and effectiveness. They are: CityMapper, MyTransport Singapore, Gothere.sg, SG Buses, LocoMole and Google map. With these apps, anyone can better estimate their commuting time with accuracy through real-time notification, for example: which bus to take and how long to wait for the next bus at the moment. Thus, traffic jam is reduced. These are made possible by Open Data policy of the Singapore government at data.gov.sg.

Conclusion

Making data available to access for everyone, government and its citizens can earn benefits from gathering collective intelligence, thus, empowering them to achieve the SDGs. However, it takes time and financial resources to make it happen. Developing countries should need it the most for their development and perhaps, impact could be seen the most obvious. But they are also the hardest to achieve by limited financial resources to build the system. Also, their cautions in being open,
ingrained path dependency and corruption are some hindrances for the transformation to the new system, the era of digitalization. Besides, concerns over national security and personal data leakages due to the sharing are visible even in developed countries. But in terms of digital democracy, if looking at developing countries where their institutions are still weak, if the government shares their data openly, people will have better chances to raise their problems and propose solutions. But it also could be the case where too much problems revealed simultaneously to people via open spaces could trigger chaos and unrest.

This article has been published as per submission by the student (the author) to the professor in the context of an assignment, for comments or edits please contact the author : name.lastname@sciencespo.fr