ACHIEVING SUSTAINABILITY VIA OFFICIAL STATISTICS: INSIGHTS FROM LITERATURE AND BIBLIOMETRIC APPROACHES

William Ben Gunawan

Abstract


In the pursuit of sustainable development, data-driven decision-making is essential. This study explores the pivotal roles that official statistics, systematically produced by national statistical offices and related agencies, play in advancing sustainability agendas. While extensive research has examined big data and sustainability metrics, the specific contributions of official statistics remain underexplored. To bridge this gap, the study employs a mixed-methods approach combining bibliometric analysis and a structured literature review. A total of 865 Scopus-indexed documents were analyzed to map the intellectual landscape, disciplinary scopes, and thematic clusters associated with the intersection of official statistics and sustainability. The results reveal a growing scholarly interest, with a dominant presence in decision sciences, social sciences, economics, and business fields, and emerging contributions in engineering, environmental sciences, and medicine. Official statistics are found to support sustainability by enabling evidence-based governance, monitoring progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and fostering accountability and transparency. Thematic cluster analysis further highlights the roles of official statistics in policy modeling, health surveillance, environmental monitoring, and socio-economic planning. However, gaps in disciplinary engagement and geographical representation signal the need for greater integration and capacity-building, particularly in data-intensive scientific domains. This study underscores the strategic value of official statistics as a public good, and recommends strengthening statistical systems, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and enhancing data accessibility. These actions are vital to align national and global sustainability efforts with reliable, standardized, and inclusive statistical evidence.

Full Text:

PDF

References


H. Hassani and S. MacFeely, “Driving excellence in official statistics: Unleashing the potential of comprehensive digital data governance,” Big Data Cogn. Comput., vol. 7, no. 3, p. 134, July 2023.

A. C. Ikegwu, H. F. Nweke, C. V. Anikwe, U. R. Alo, and O. R. Okonkwo, “Big data analytics for data-driven industry: a review of data sources, tools, challenges, solutions, and research directions,” Cluster Comput., vol. 25, no. 5, pp. 3343–3387, Oct. 2022.

Statista, “Big data market size revenue forecast worldwide from 2011 to 2027,” Statista, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/254266/global-big-data-market-forecast/. [Accessed: 31-May-2025].

S. De Broe et al., “Updating the paradigm of official statistics: New quality criteria for integrating new data and methods in official statistics,” Stat. J. IAOS, vol. 37, no. 1, pp. 343–360, Mar. 2021.

S. Badiee, J. Crowell, L. Noe, A. Pittman, C. Rudow, and E. Swanson, “Open data for official statistics: History, principles, and implementation,” Stat. J. IAOS, vol. 37, no. 1, pp. 139–159, Mar. 2021.

N. Bachmann, S. Tripathi, M. Brunner, and H. Jodlbauer, “The contribution of data-driven technologies in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” Sustainability, vol. 14, no. 5, p. 2497, Feb. 2022.

C. Allen, M. Smith, M. Rabiee, and H. Dahmm, “A review of scientific advancements in datasets derived from big data for monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals,” Sustain. Sci., vol. 16, no. 5, pp. 1701–1716, Sept. 2021.

M. Chopra, D. S. K. Singh, A. Gupta, K. Aggarwal, B. B. Gupta, and F. Colace, “Analysis & prognosis of sustainable development goals using big data-based approach during COVID-19 pandemic,” Sustainable Technology and Entrepreneurship, vol. 1, no. 2, p. 100012, May 2022.

L. Tamym, L. Benyoucef, A. Nait Sidi Moh, and M. D. El Ouadghiri, “Big Data Analytics-based life cycle sustainability assessment for sustainable manufacturing enterprises evaluation,” J. Big Data, vol. 10, no. 1, Nov. 2023.

L. Tamym, L. Benyoucef, A. N. S. Moh, and M. D. E. Ouadghiri, “A big data analytics-based methodology for social sustainability impacts evaluation: A case study,” Procedia Comput. Sci., vol. 220, pp. 32–39, 2023.

W. B. Gunawan, “MSME Sustainability as the Key to Sustainability: Role and Contribution of MSMEs to Sustainability with a Bibliometric Approach and Literature Review,” Equator Journal of Management and Entrepreneur, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 1–17, Summer 2025.

N. Donthu, S. Kumar, D. Mukherjee, N. Pandey, and W. M. Lim, “How to conduct a bibliometric analysis: An overview and guidelines,” J. Bus. Res., vol. 133, pp. 285–296, Sept. 2021.

V. K. Singh, P. Singh, M. Karmakar, J. Leta, and P. Mayr, “The journal coverage of Web of Science, Scopus and Dimensions: A comparative analysis,” Scientometrics, vol. 126, no. 6, pp. 5113–5142, June 2021.

B. Abidoye and E. Orlic, “Localizing the Sustainable Development Goals: A case for investment in data and impact evaluation,” Stat. J. IAOS, vol. 38, no. 3, pp. 863–878, Sept. 2022.

Y. Cortés, “Spatial accessibility to local public services in an unequal place: An analysis from patterns of residential segregation in the Metropolitan Area of Santiago, Chile,” Sustainability, vol. 13, no. 2, p. 442, Jan. 2021.

R. de la Torre, C. G. Corlu, J. Faulin, B. S. Onggo, and A. A. Juan, “Simulation, optimization, and machine learning in Sustainable Transportation Systems: Models and applications,” Sustainability, vol. 13, no. 3, p. 1551, Feb. 2021.

O. A. Nnene, J. W. Joubert, and M. H. P. Zuidgeest, “A simulation-based optimization approach for designing transit networks,” Public Transp., Jan. 2023.

S. M. H. S. Rezvani, M. J. F. Silva, and N. M. de Almeida, “Urban Resilience Index for critical infrastructure: A Scenario-based approach to disaster risk reduction in road networks,” Sustainability, vol. 16, no. 10, p. 4143, May 2024.

I. E. Agbehadji, S. Schütte, M. Masinde, J. Botai, and T. Mabhaudhi, “Climate risks resilience development: A bibliometric analysis of climate-related early warning systems in southern Africa,” Climate, vol. 12, no. 1, p. 3, Dec. 2023.

S. Anand and M. K. Barua, “Modeling the key factors leading to post-harvest loss and waste of fruits and vegetables in the agri-fresh produce supply chain,” Comput. Electron. Agric., vol. 198, no. 106936, p. 106936, July 2022.

M. Sousa, M. F. Almeida, and R. Calili, “Multiple criteria decision making for the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals: A systematic literature review and a research agenda,” Sustainability, vol. 13, no. 8, p. 4129, Apr. 2021.

G. Hirsch Hadorn, “Which methods are useful to justify public policies? An analysis of cost–benefit analysis, multi-criteria decision analysis, and non-aggregate indicator systems,” Z. Allg. Wissenschaftstheor., vol. 53, no. 2, pp. 123–141, June 2022.

A. Usubiaga-Liaño and P. Ekins, “Monitoring the environmental sustainability of countries through the strong environmental sustainability index,” Ecol. Indic., vol. 132, no. 108281, p. 108281, Dec. 2021.

H. Guo et al., “Measuring and evaluating SDG indicators with Big Earth Data,” Sci. Bull. (Beijing), vol. 67, no. 17, pp. 1792–1801, Sept. 2022.

L. Hantrais and A. T. Lenihan, “Social dimensions of evidence-based policy in a digital society,” Contemp. Soc. Sci., vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 141–155, Mar. 2021.

G. Brunet et al., “Advancing weather and climate forecasting for our changing world,” Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc., vol. 104, no. 4, pp. E909–E927, Apr. 2023.

L. Chen, B. Han, X. Wang, J. Zhao, W. Yang, and Z. Yang, “Machine Learning methods in weather and climate applications: A survey,” Appl. Sci. (Basel), vol. 13, no. 21, p. 12019, Nov. 2023.

M. Ahmad Jan, M. Adil, B. Brik, S. Harous, and S. Abbas, “Making sense of Big Data in intelligent Transportation Systems: Current trends, challenges and future directions,” ACM Comput. Surv., vol. 57, no. 8, pp. 1–43, Aug. 2025.

P. Bellini, S. Bilotta, E. Collini, M. Fanfani, and P. Nesi, “Data sources and models for integrated mobility and transport solutions,” Sensors (Basel), vol. 24, no. 2, p. 441, Jan. 2024.

О. Kharakhash, “Data Visualization: Transforming Complex Data into Actionable Insights,” Automation of Technological and Business Processes, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 4–12, June 2023.

P. Cheung and X. Taojun, The ASEAN digital economy. London: Routledge, 2023.

X. Wang, L. Ma, S. Yan, X. Chen, and A. Growe, “Trade for food security: The stability of global agricultural trade networks,” Foods, vol. 12, no. 2, p. 271, Jan. 2023.

T. Wilson, I. Grossman, M. Alexander, P. Rees, and J. Temple, “Methods for small area population forecasts: State-of-the-art and research needs,” Popul. Res. Policy Rev., vol. 41, no. 3, pp. 865–898, 2022.

S. A. Jamatutu, K. Abbass, S. Gawusu, K. E. Yeboah, I. A.-M. Jamatutu, and H. Song, “Quantifying future carbon emissions uncertainties under stochastic modeling and Monte Carlo simulation: Insights for environmental policy consideration for the Belt and Road Initiative Region,” J. Environ. Manage., vol. 370, no. 122463, p. 122463, Nov. 2024.

S. L. Gebre, D. Cattrysse, and J. Van Orshoven, “Multi-criteria decision-making methods to address water allocation problems: A systematic review,” Water (Basel), vol. 13, no. 2, p. 125, Jan. 2021.

X. Yin and İ. E. Büyüktahtakın, “Risk-averse multi-stage stochastic programming to optimizing vaccine allocation and treatment logistics for effective epidemic response,” IISE Trans. Healthc. Syst. Eng., vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 52–74, Jan. 2022.

S. Gawusu and A. Ahmed, “Analyzing variability in urban energy poverty: A stochastic modeling and Monte Carlo simulation approach,” Energy (Oxf.), vol. 304, no. 132194, p. 132194, Sept. 2024.

R. Liang, R. Goto, Y. Okubo, D. H. Rehkopf, and K. Inoue, “Poverty and childhood obesity: Current evidence and methodologies for future research,” Curr. Obes. Rep., vol. 14, no. 1, p. 33, Apr. 2025.

M. Carrillo, “Measuring progress towards sustainability in the European union within the 2030 Agenda framework,” Mathematics, vol. 10, no. 12, p. 2095, June 2022.

U. A. Bhatti, H. Tang, A. Khan, Y. Yasin Ghadi, M. A. Bhatti, and K. A. Khan, “Investigating the nexus between energy, socio-economic factors and environmental pollution: A geo-spatial multi regression approach,” Gondwana Res., vol. 130, pp. 308–325, June 2024.

A. S. Mata and S. M. P. Dourado, “Mathematical modeling applied to epidemics: an overview,” São Paulo J. Math. Sci., vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 1025–1044, Sept. 2021.

W. Waheduzzaman and S. Khandaker, “E‐participation for combating corruption, increasing voice and accountability, and developing government effectiveness: A cross‐country data analysis,” Aust. J. Publ. Adm., vol. 81, no. 4, pp. 549–568, Dec. 2022.

G. Asimakopoulos, H. Antonopoulou, K. Giotopoulos, and C. Halkiopoulos, “Impact of Information and Communication Technologies on democratic processes and citizen participation,” Societies (Basel), vol. 15, no. 2, p. 40, Feb. 2025.

L. Kuanova, A. Bekbossinova, and T. Abdykadyr, “Assessment of the sustainable development of regions: The case of Kazakhstan,” Eurasian Journal of Economic and Business Studies, vol. 3, no. 67, pp. 122–135, Oct. 2023.

S. Assari, “Latinos’ diminished returns of educational attainment on reducing food insecurity: the role of ethnic disparities in family structure and employment,” Front. Public Health, vol. 12, p. 1407005, Aug. 2024.

A. D. Pinto, M. Perri, C. L. Pedersen, T. Aratangy, A. P. Hapsari, and S. W. Hwang, “Exploring different methods to evaluate the impact of basic income interventions: a systematic review,” Int. J. Equity Health, vol. 20, no. 1, p. 142, June 2021.

J. Hwang and T. W. McDaniel, “Racialized reshuffling: Urban change and the persistence of segregation in the twenty-first century,” Annu. Rev. Sociol., vol. 48, no. 1, pp. 397–419, July 2022.

B. Giles-Corti et al., “What next? Expanding our view of city planning and global health, and implementing and monitoring evidence-informed policy,” Lancet Glob. Health, vol. 10, no. 6, pp. e919–e926, June 2022.

S. MacFeely, P. van de Ven, and A. Peltola, “To GDP and beyond: The past and future history of the world’s most powerful statistical indicator,” Stat. J. IAOS, vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 685–711, Aug. 2024.

R. Apunyo et al., “Interventions to increase youth employment: An evidence and gap map,” Campbell Syst. Rev., vol. 18, no. 1, p. e1216, Mar. 2022.

D. Berger, K. Herkenhoff, and S. Mongey, “Minimum wages, efficiency, and welfare,” Econometrica, vol. 93, no. 1, pp. 265–301, 2025.

L.-Y. Tay, H.-T. Tai, and G.-S. Tan, “Digital financial inclusion: A gateway to sustainable development,” Heliyon, vol. 8, no. 6, p. e09766, June 2022.

W. Luo, Z. Tian, S. Zhong, Q. Lyu, and M. Deng, “Global evolution of research on sustainable finance from 2000 to 2021: A bibliometric analysis on WoS database,” Sustainability, vol. 14, no. 15, p. 9435, Aug. 2022.

O. Pretorius, E. Drewes, M. van Aswegen, and G. Malan, “A policy approach towards achieving regional economic resilience in developing countries: Evidence from the SADC,” Sustainability, vol. 13, no. 5, p. 2674, Mar. 2021.

H. Chen, Y. Shi, and H. He, “A sustainable urban framework based on natural capital and ecosystem services accounting,” Appl. Spat. Anal. Policy, vol. 18, no. 1, Mar. 2025.

B. Charoenwong and A. Kwan, “Alternative Data, Big Data, and Applications to Finance,” in Fintech with Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, and Blockchain, Singapore: Springer Singapore, 2021, pp. 35–105.

J. C. Ingram et al., “Opportunities for businesses to use and support development of SEEA-aligned natural capital accounts,” Ecosyst. Serv., vol. 55, no. 101434, p. 101434, June 2022.

N. Edh Mirzaei, P. Hilletofth, and R. Pal, “Challenges to competitive manufacturing in high-cost environments: checklist and insights from Swedish manufacturing firms,” Oper. Manag. Res., vol. 14, no. 3–4, pp. 272–292, Dec. 2021.

H. Hegab, I. Shaban, M. Jamil, and N. Khanna, “Toward sustainable future: Strategies, indicators, and challenges for implementing sustainable production systems,” Sustain. Mater. Technol., vol. 36, no. e00617, p. e00617, July 2023.

F. Azmat, W. M. Lim, A. Moyeen, R. Voola, and G. Gupta, “Convergence of business, innovation, and sustainability at the tipping point of the sustainable development goals,” J. Bus. Res., vol. 167, no. 114170, p. 114170, Nov. 2023.

M. A. Koseoglu, H. E. Arici, M. B. Saydam, and V. O. Olorunsola, “Environmental, social and governance assets and diversity scores: exploring their relationship to carbon emissions in global companies,” Manag. Decis., May 2024.

Y. Kayikci, “Stream processing data decision model for higher environmental performance and resilience in sustainable logistics infrastructure,” J. Enterp. Inf. Manag., vol. 34, no. 1, pp. 140–167, Jan. 2021.

A. Colombelli, E. Paolucci, E. Raguseo, and G. Elia, “The creation of digital innovative start-ups: the role of digital knowledge spillovers and digital skill endowment,” Small Bus. Econ., vol. 62, no. 3, pp. 917–937, Mar. 2024.

A. Righi, “Measuring social capital: Official statistics initiatives in Italy,” Procedia Soc. Behav. Sci., vol. 72, pp. 4–22, Feb. 2013.

D. Rozkrut, M. Tarczynska-Luniewska, G. A. Singh, and M. Piwowarski, “The use of big data in ESG monitoring and evaluation,” in Contemporary Studies in Economic and Financial Analysis, Emerald Publishing Limited, 2024, pp. 25–40.

M. Tran and C. Draeger, “A data-driven complex network approach for planning sustainable and inclusive urban mobility hubs and services,” Environ. Plan. B Urban Anal. City Sci., vol. 48, no. 9, pp. 2726–2742, Nov. 2021.

S. C. Shandiz, B. Rismanchi, G. Foliente, and L. Aye, “A model for energy master planning and resilience assessment of net-zero emissions community,” Sustain. Resilient Infrastruct., vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 375–399, July 2023.

J. R. S. Doorga, J. W. Hall, and N. Eyre, “Geospatial multi-criteria analysis for identifying optimum wind and solar sites in Africa: Towards effective power sector decarbonization,” Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev., vol. 158, no. 112107, p. 112107, Apr. 2022.

L. Topliceanu, P. G. Puiu, C. Drob, and V. V. Topliceanu, “Analysis regarding the implementation of the circular economy in Romania,” Sustainability, vol. 15, no. 1, p. 333, Dec. 2022.

F. Chen, Z. Shirazi, and L. Wang, “Building scientific capacity in disaster risk reduction for sustainable development,” Cultures of Science, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 40–54, Mar. 2021.

S. Ivanova, A. Vesnina, N. Fotina, and A. Prosekov, “An overview of carbon footprint of coal mining to curtail greenhouse gas emissions,” Sustainability, vol. 14, no. 22, p. 15135, Nov. 2022.

A. Andries, S. Morse, R. J. Murphy, J. Lynch, and E. R. Woolliams, “Using data from earth observation to support sustainable development indicators: An analysis of the literature and challenges for the future,” Sustainability, vol. 14, no. 3, p. 1191, Jan. 2022.

J. Abellán and J. A. Alonso, “Promoting global access to water and sanitation: A supply and demand perspective,” Water Resour. Econ., vol. 38, no. 100194, p. 100194, Apr. 2022.

I. R. Orimoloye, J. A. Belle, A. O. Olusola, E. T. Busayo, and O. O. Ololade, “Spatial assessment of drought disasters, vulnerability, severity and water shortages: a potential drought disaster mitigation strategy,” Nat. Hazards (Dordr.), vol. 105, no. 3, pp. 2735–2754, Feb. 2021.

B. Fakhruddin, J. Kirsch-Wood, D. Niyogi, L. Guoqing, V. Murray, and N. Frolova, “Harnessing risk-informed data for disaster and climate resilience,” Prog. Disaster Sci., vol. 16, no. 100254, p. 100254, Dec. 2022.

S. Sarker et al., “Integration of socio-ecological data to prioritize biodiversity hot-spots for Marine Protected Area (MPA) delineation in the coastal zone of Bangladesh,” Reg. Stud. Mar. Sci., vol. 77, no. 103622, p. 103622, Dec. 2024.

S. Abbas et al., “Monitoring of large-scale forest restoration: Evidence of vegetation recovery and reversing chronic ecosystem degradation in the mountain region of Pakistan,” Ecol. Inform., vol. 77, no. 102277, p. 102277, Nov. 2023.

M. Karpouza, K. Chousianitis, G. D. Bathrellos, H. D. Skilodimou, G. Kaviris, and A. Antonarakou, “Hazard zonation mapping of earthquake-induced secondary effects using spatial multi-criteria analysis,” Nat. Hazards (Dordr.), vol. 109, no. 1, pp. 637–669, Oct. 2021.

J. Gower and V. Barale, “The rising concern for sea level rise: Altimeter record and Geo-engineering debate,” Remote Sens. (Basel), vol. 16, no. 2, p. 262, Jan. 2024.

E. Hanna et al., “Short- and long-term variability of the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets,” Nat. Rev. Earth Environ., vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 193–210, Feb. 2024.

S. Wang and L. Yang, “Mineral resource extraction and resource sustainability: Policy initiatives for agriculture, economy, energy, and the environment,” Resour. Policy, vol. 89, no. 104657, p. 104657, Feb. 2024.

M. U. Simoni et al., “Mass-balance-consistent geological stock accounting: A new approach toward sustainable management of mineral resources,” Environ. Sci. Technol., vol. 58, no. 2, pp. 971–990, Jan. 2024.

M. A. Wulder et al., “Fifty years of Landsat science and impacts,” Remote Sens. Environ., vol. 280, no. 113195, p. 113195, Oct. 2022.

P. Kostkova et al., “Data and digital solutions to support surveillance strategies in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Front. Digit. Health, vol. 3, p. 707902, Aug. 2021.

F. Ros et al., “Addressing the Covid-19 pandemic and future public health challenges through global collaboration and a data-driven systems approach,” Learn. Health Syst., vol. 5, no. 1, p. e10253, Jan. 2021.

Y. Adegoke, J. Mbonigaba, and G. George, “Sustainable development goals (SDGs), public health expenditures, and maternal and child mortality in selected African countries: Forecasting modelling,” Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, vol. 22, no. 4, Mar. 2025.

A. Kurjak, M. Stanojević, and J. Dudenhausen, “Why maternal mortality in the world remains tragedy in low-income countries and shame for high-income ones: will sustainable development goals (SDG) help?,” J. Perinat. Med., vol. 51, no. 2, pp. 170–181, Feb. 2023.

B. A. Munir, S. Hafeez, S. Rashid, R. Iqbal, and M. A. Javed, “Geospatial assessment of physical accessibility of healthcare and agent-based modeling for system efficacy,” GeoJournal, vol. 85, no. 3, pp. 665–680, June 2020.

S. Soomro, J. G. M. Sahito, and F. Gilal, “The link between climate change and human health,” in CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance, Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland, 2025, pp. 183–208.

M. C. Fombad, “Knowledge management for climate change in South Africa: A proposed strategy,” IFLA J., vol. 50, no. 2, pp. 292–309, June 2024.

M. Durand and J. R. Suesser, “A fast-evolving landscape for Official Statistics: How to respond to the challenges?1,” Stat. J. IAOS, vol. 38, no. 2, pp. 345–349, June 2022.

M. Bohman, “Making a difference through trusted, high‐quality research and statistics,” Am. J. Agric. Econ., vol. 106, no. 2, pp. 485–495, Mar. 2024.

A. Sonnenfeld, J. Stevenson, and H. S. Waddington, “Does citizen engagement improve development outcomes? A realist-informed systematic review of participation and accountability mechanisms,” J. Dev. Effect., vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 27–60, Jan. 2024.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.20527/ragam.v5i1.18154

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

RAGAM: Journal of Statistics and Its Application 

Program Studi Statistika, Fakultas MIPA, Universitas Lambung Mangkurat
Jalan A. Yani Km.36, Kampus ULM Banjarbaru, Kalimantan Selatan, Indonesia 70714

e-mail: [email protected]
website: https://ppjp.ulm.ac.id/journals/index.php/ragam

 

Lisensi Creative Commons


RAGAM: Journal of Statistics and Its Application is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.