Measuring Progress on UN Sustainable Development Goals

Guido Schmidt-Traub has established himself as a leading figure in sustainable development and climate policy through his extensive work with international organizations and advisory roles. His academic credentials include a Ph.D. in Economics from Wageningen University & Research, an M.Phil. in Economics from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, and a Masters in physical chemistry from the Free University Berlin. As Executive Director and Scientific Co-Director of the SDG Index at the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, he has been instrumental in supporting the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement. His career spans significant leadership positions, including CEO of CDC Climat Asset Management in Paris, climate change advisor to the Africa Progress Panel secretariat, and Director at South Pole Carbon Asset Management in Zurich. His contributions to global development include managing the MDG Support Team at UNDP and serving as Associate Director of the UN Millennium Project, where he helped develop action plans for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Currently serving on the Governing Council of Future Earth and as Partner at SYSTEMIQ Ltd, Schmidt-Traub continues to shape international policy on sustainable development, particularly focusing on nature-based solutions and climate change mitigation strategies

Guillaume Lafortune has established himself as a key figure in sustainable development policy and analysis through his role as Vice President and Head of the Paris Office at the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). His career path includes valuable experience as an economist at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), where he focused on public governance reforms and statistics, and earlier work as an economist at the Ministry of Economic Development in the Government of Quebec. His academic credentials include an M.Sc in public administration from the National School of Public Administration in Montreal and a B.Sc in international economics from the University of Montreal. At SDSN, he has been instrumental in developing and managing the SDG Index and Dashboards Report, providing crucial data and statistics for tracking progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals. His expertise extends to coordinating major international initiatives, including his work with The Lancet Commission on COVID-19 from 2020 to 2022, where he led taskforces on Fiscal Policy and Financial Markets and Green Recovery. Throughout his career, he has authored numerous scientific publications, policy briefs, and international reports on sustainable development, economic policy, and governance. His work consistently focuses on transforming complex sustainable development data into practical insights for policymakers, making him a respected voice in global development policy and analysis.

Jessica Espey has established herself as a leading expert in sustainable development data and policy through her role as Senior Advisor to the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her academic foundation includes a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Modern History from Oxford University and a Master of Sciences in Political Economy of Development from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Her career spans significant positions, including Associate Director and Head of SDSN's New York Office, and special adviser on the post-2015 agenda within the Office of the President of Liberia. As Head of the TReNDS program, SDSN's Thematic Research Network on Data and Statistics, she leads crucial research on data systems improvement and public-private data sharing for SDG achievement. Her expertise extends across multiple areas, including evidence-based policy-making, sustainable urbanization, and horizontal inequalities. Her international experience includes work with prominent organizations such as Save the Children UK, the Overseas Development Institute, and the British Institute in Eastern Africa. Throughout her 12-year career, she has worked across multiple countries including Liberia, Kenya, Rwanda, the UK, and the US, bringing a global perspective to sustainable development challenges. Her current work focuses on analyzing the return on investment from improved data systems and developing frameworks for effective data sharing to support sustainable development goals.