Introduction

A significant amount of research literature on different aspects of data, information and sustainable development has appeared in the recent past. A quick search on the Web of Science database in May 2023 using the search string (((SDG*) or (sustainability) or (sustainable development))) and (((data) or (information))) produced:

• ■ 32,919 results in the research area of Computer Science, out of which there were 24,608 articles and 565 books

• ■ 8,632 results within the discipline of Information and Library Science, out of which there were 8,353 articles and 252 books.

Although this is not a comprehensive search on the topic, it gives a sense of the volume of research activities around the SDGs in the computer science and library and information science disciplines.

Some publications date back to the 1990s, but research in this area within the library and information science discipline grew rapidly over the past decade – from 202 publications in 2011 to 1052 in 2021 and 1405 in 2022. In addition, there have also been professional research and development activities within the computer and information sciences area, but most of such research focused on sustainability and climate change in the form of the green ICT, green libraries, etc. This chapter discusses some of the academic as well as professional research, especially around data, information, people and society in the context of the SDGs. It tries to point out some key progress and trends, as well as some gaps in research, and highlights some key challenges. Research and development activities, and some of the associated challenges, within the library and information sector are discussed in Chapter 11.

The overall SDG research landscape

A review, based on the research literature appearing in the Web of Science database (Nakamura et al., 2019) shows the growth of research, in terms of publications, on health, and sustainability in which ecosystems and biodiversity appear top of the list. Bautista-Puig et al. (2021) report on a scientometrics study that aimed to investigate the trend of research related to the SDGs around the world. This study covered research between 2000 and 2017, and the topics included both the SDGs and MDGs (Millennium Development Goals), which were the predecessors of the SDGs.