A Geographical Critique of SDG Indicators From a Brunei Case Study

Abstract

This chapter critiques the UN SDGS' standardised indicators for overlooking geographical and sociocultural contexts, using Brunei Darussalam as a case study. Brunei's unique characteristics—hydrocarbon wealth, colonial legacies, and low-density urban sprawl—reveal gaps between SDG metrics and local realities. Mixed-methods analysis (2020 VNR, fieldwork, surveys) highlights mismatches: SDG 1's income-based poverty lines ignore housing precarity; SDG 8's GDP growth masks youth underemployment; SDG 11's transport metrics neglect car-centric urbanism; SDG 13 overlooks slow-onset climate risks. The framework's neoliberal focus on growth, critiqued by scholars, obscures spatial inequalities and ecological limits. The study advocates place-sensitive SDG tracking, integrating qualitative insights (community narratives, historical context) and participatory methods (citizen science) to address data gaps and align policies with local needs. Brunei's case underscores the need for context-specific strategies to enhance SDG equity and effectiveness globally.