Latest news with #SustainableDevelopmentSolutionsNetwork
The Hindu
15 hours ago
- Health
- The Hindu
No time to rest: on India's ranking and the Sustainable Development Report
India has been ranked among the top 100 countries in the Sustainable Development Report for the first time since this data began to be published by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) since 2016. The SDSN is an independent body under the aegis of the UN, whose publications are tracked by policymakers and governments. In 2016, India was ranked 110th out of 157 countries, making steady progress to reach 99 this year out of an expanded basket of 167 nations with better metrics and more granular comparisons. But it is no time to rest on this laurel. India must look at why this incline, by 11 points, was not achieved any sooner and the gaps to focus on. From a developmental perspective, the SDSN ranks India as having fared better in poverty reduction (SDG 1) even as India's poverty estimation continues to be mired in controversy due to a lack of publicly available consumption expenditure data since 2018 and the poverty line (Rangarajan line ~₹33/day rural, ₹47/day urban) not having been updated. Proxy data suggest a considerable poverty reduction, almost halving between 2012 (22% based on NSSO data) and 2023 (World Bank – 12%). But SDG 2 (zero hunger) has remained a cause for concern. It also reveals the wide disparity between income groups and rural and urban areas on access to a nutritious diet. The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) estimates that over a third of Indians (35.5%) were stunted (NFHS-5, 2019-21), only marginally better than 38.4% (NFHS-4, 2015-16). Similarly, wasting, which is low weight for height, reduced from 21.0% to 19.3%. Obesity in the working age population (15-49 years) has almost doubled between 2006 and 2021, and concentrated in wealthier urban areas. Electricity access (SDG 7) is another indicator where India has done well. While the country has achieved near universal household electrification in the past two decades, the quality of power and duration vary vastly based on regions and urban/rural fault lines. It is, however, laudable that India today ranks as the fourth largest renewables capacity deployer, mainly solar and wind. And while India has bettered its score in infrastructure provision (SDG 9), noteworthy additions being rapid mobile penetration and financial inclusion through UPI-linked digital payments gateways, COVID-19 revealed the stark difference between rural and urban Internet penetration, which must be addressed to achieve even higher educational outcomes (SDG 4). It is telling, however, that throughout the Modi years, India's performance in governance, the rule of law, press freedom and strong and independent institutions (SDG 16) has been lagging.
Asahi Shimbun
4 days ago
- Politics
- Asahi Shimbun
Japan falls to 19th in world rankings for SDG progress
Dropping one spot from last year, Japan ranked 19th in the world for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and received the lowest evaluation level in six categories, including gender equality and food security. The Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), an international research organization that operates under the United Nations, released its annual report on countries' progress on SDGs on June 24. The 'Sustainable Development Report 2025' covered 167 countries that hold comparable data. Japan has continued to fall in the rankings since placing 11th in 2017. It placed 18th last year. The SDSN also rated countries on a four-level scale for their progress on each of 17 goals. Like last year, Japan received the lowest rating of 'major challenges remain' for five goals: gender equality; responsible consumption and production; climate action; life below water; and life on land. This year, Japan also received the lowest rating in the category of zero hunger, which represents food security and sustainable agriculture. The report cited Japan's worsening nitrogen management, which leads to air and groundwater pollution, and high meat consumption, which puts a burden on the environment. Japan also ranked poorly in: proportion of seats held by women in national parliament; gender wage gap; amount of electronic waste that is not recollected; volume of plastic waste exported; CO₂ emissions from fossil fuel combustion; rate of fish caught from overexploited or collapsed stocks; and biodiversity conservation efforts. Furthermore, Japan dropped two evaluation levels for industry, innovation and infrastructure. Japan had previously received a top evaluation of 'achieved' in that category, but it slid due largely to its low score in the newly adopted indicator assessing the percentage of women among university graduates in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields. In the 2025 report, Japan received an 'achieved' evaluation for only one goal: good health and well-being. This was attributed to an increase in Japanese people reporting a sense of well-being, both physically and mentally. This lifted Japan's overall rating. The top five countries remained unchanged from last year, with Finland leading for the fifth consecutive year. Japan remains the highest-ranked country outside of Europe. The report noted that more people have access to electricity and the internet, and infant mortality rates have declined worldwide. It emphasized that development support through the SDGs is a high-return investment that will benefit future generations.
Sydney Morning Herald
24-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- Sydney Morning Herald
Can this ‘boring' country teach us how to be happier at work?
Finland is a country that bats well above its weight. The northern European nation is less than half the size of New South Wales, has a population of just 5.6 million people, and surprised the world – including many of its citizens – when it was first named the happiest country on Earth in 2019. Last month, Finland held onto the title for an unprecedented eighth year in a row, according to the World Happiness Report – a list published annually by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, an initiative of the United Nations and Gallup research. Every year, 100,000 people are asked how satisfied they are with their lives to compare differences in personal and national happiness. This year, Australia fell one place to be ranked 11th in the world. As part of research for my latest book, Work Backwards, I spent almost a month travelling around Finland to try to get to the bottom of why they've risen to the top of the happiness charts and stayed there. I discovered that one of the main reasons is how they think about their jobs and what they do. A lecturer at Helsinki's Aalto University, Frank Martela, an expert on the intersection between Finnish culture and happiness, helped me understand this better. Sitting in his office, surrounded by folders of his own research on the topic, Martela explains that many of his compatriots have 'a bit of a melancholic self-image' and view themselves as introverted and quiet. Another word to describe this that I kept hearing repeated around Finland? It's easy to get caught up in a culture that always pushes for more, which is why the Finnish approach to satisfaction is so refreshing. Many of them openly describe themselves as being a little bit boring, and they are perfectly OK with that. I wrote recently in defence of 'boring' jobs, and the underrated value that can bring to how you approach work. In a similar vein, living a simple life where you know what's important to you, and have regularly access to that, can help increase your satisfaction levels.
The Age
24-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Age
Can this ‘boring' country teach us how to be happier at work?
Finland is a country that bats well above its weight. The northern European nation is less than half the size of New South Wales, has a population of just 5.6 million people, and surprised the world – including many of its citizens – when it was first named the happiest country on Earth in 2019. Last month, Finland held onto the title for an unprecedented eighth year in a row, according to the World Happiness Report – a list published annually by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, an initiative of the United Nations and Gallup research. Every year, 100,000 people are asked how satisfied they are with their lives to compare differences in personal and national happiness. This year, Australia fell one place to be ranked 11th in the world. As part of research for my latest book, Work Backwards, I spent almost a month travelling around Finland to try to get to the bottom of why they've risen to the top of the happiness charts and stayed there. I discovered that one of the main reasons is how they think about their jobs and what they do. A lecturer at Helsinki's Aalto University, Frank Martela, an expert on the intersection between Finnish culture and happiness, helped me understand this better. Sitting in his office, surrounded by folders of his own research on the topic, Martela explains that many of his compatriots have 'a bit of a melancholic self-image' and view themselves as introverted and quiet. Another word to describe this that I kept hearing repeated around Finland? It's easy to get caught up in a culture that always pushes for more, which is why the Finnish approach to satisfaction is so refreshing. Many of them openly describe themselves as being a little bit boring, and they are perfectly OK with that. I wrote recently in defence of 'boring' jobs, and the underrated value that can bring to how you approach work. In a similar vein, living a simple life where you know what's important to you, and have regularly access to that, can help increase your satisfaction levels.
Hi Dubai
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Hi Dubai
UAE Marks International Day of Happiness with Renewed Commitment to Well-being
The UAE joins the global celebration of the International Day of Happiness on March 20 each year, reaffirming its dedication to promoting the well-being and quality of life of all citizens and residents. As one of the pioneering nations that embed happiness as a core metric in policymaking, the UAE views happiness as a key indicator of national success and progress. This forward-thinking approach has helped the country maintain a high ranking in the annual World Happiness Report, issued by the UN's Sustainable Development Solutions Network. The report assesses countries based on several criteria including income, economic output, social support, life expectancy, freedom, absence of corruption, and generosity. This year's observance holds special meaning as it aligns with the "Year of Community", a national initiative focused on fostering happiness, cohesion, and stability across society, and strengthening collaboration and solidarity among individuals and communities. Over the years, the UAE has launched various initiatives aimed at enhancing community happiness. In 2016, the government introduced the Minister of State for Happiness—a first in the region. In October 2017, the portfolio expanded to include well-being, and by July 2020, the responsibility for Quality of Life and Happiness was assigned to the Ministry of Community Development. These initiatives underscore the UAE's long-standing belief that happiness is not just a goal but a shared responsibility, embedded in governance, policy, and daily life. News Source: Emirates News Agency
