An Improved Indicator System for Evaluating the Progress of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Sub-Target 9.1 in County Level

Abstract

In order to assess the progress of the SDG sub-target 9.1 at the county level, the SDG indicator 9.1.1 (rural access index) and 9.1.2 (passenger and freight volumes) were implemented in Deqing County, China to explore the fitness-for-purpose of these indicators for county level evaluations. It is found that the country-oriented indicator system has some localization problems and cannot fully reflect the connotation of the SDG sub-target 9.1 when used in the county level. An improved indicator system was built by modifying the SDG indicator 9.1.1 and adding three more indicators (namely the road density, accessibility, and total postal business). The analysis of the calculation process and results showed that the improved indicator system can solve the problems arising from the original SDG indicator when applied in the county level. The modified resident access index can eliminate the dependence of the original indicator 9.1.1 calculations on urban-rural boundary data, and takes into account the urban vulnerable groups such as urban villages residents. While the road density and accessibility can be used to measure the quantity, quality, and connectivity of the road and the reality of the residents to obtain the road, which enables the indicators to reflect the necessary details of the level of the transportation infrastructure construction. The total postal business can help the SDG indicator 9.1.2 reflect the relationship between the transportation infrastructure construction and the development of the economic and people’s livelihood.