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Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
UN Sustainable Development Goals Index 2025: 10 best and worst countries; India breaks into top 100 for the first time
UN Sustainable Development Goals Index 2025: Even after a decade of adopting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), global progress remains largely off course. According to the 2025 Sustainable Development Report (SDR), none of the 17 Global Goals are on track to be fully achieved by 2030, and only 17 per cent of the SDG targets are progressing as planned. While notable improvements have been seen in access to basic services and infrastructure, backsliding has occurred in several areas, including rising obesity rates, declining press freedom, worsening corruption perception, and setbacks in sustainable nitrogen management (SDG 2). Despite a strong global commitment to the SDGs, the global averages have obscured the stark disparities in progress across various regions and nations. Europe dominates the SDG 2025 Index, with Europe dominating the top 10, and Nordic countries ranking the top, with Finland standing first this year, followed by Sweden and Denmark. East and South Asian countries have made remarkable strides in achieving their socioeconomic goals, showcasing the most significant progress since 2015 in Nepal, which improved by 11.1 points; Cambodia, which gained 10 points; and the Philippines, which increased by 8.6 points, among others. The countries affected by conflict, security issues, political or socio-economic instabilities, and limited fiscal space, like South Sudan, Yemen, Somalia, and Chad, sit at the bottom of the SDG Index. Source: 10th Edition of Sustainable Development Report 2025 (SDR) by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Source: 10th Edition of Sustainable Development Report 2025 (SDR) by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) India has achieved a significant milestone by entering the top 100 for the first time in the history of the index. Ranking 99th in 2025 with a score of 67.0, India has improved steadily over the past four years, rising from 109th in 2024, 112th in 2023, 121st in 2022, and 120th in 2021. In regional comparison, India still trails several of its neighbours. Bhutan is ranked 74th (70.5), Nepal 85th (68.6), and the Maldives 53rd. Sri Lanka stands at 93rd, while Bangladesh and Pakistan lag behind at 114th and 140th, respectively. Globally, China ranks 49th with a score of 74.4, and the United States stands at 44th with 75.2. Note: The index measures overall progress toward achieving the 17 SDGs adopted by United Nations member states in 2015, with a score of 100 indicating full achievement of all goals.


Mint
3 days ago
- Business
- Mint
India ranks among top 100 nations for first time in achieving Sustainable Development Goals
India ranked among the top 100 nations out of 167 countries for its progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reported the news agency PTI, citing UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network's 10th and latest Sustainable Development Report (SDR) published on Tuesday, 24 June 2025. According to the agency report, India secured the 99th rank on the SDG Index 2025, with a score of 67, while other nations like China ranked 49th with a 74.4 score, and the United States at 44th rank with a 75.2 point score. The previous data shows that India ranked as the 109th nation for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in 2024. Over the years, the nation has improved its ranking in the list. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are global goals which were imposed by the United Nations in 2015, in order for countries to work towards the idea of saving the planet. According to the report, the ultimate goal is to leave no one behind in the overall development matrix by 2030. The report also flagged that the SDG progress has stalled at the global level, with only 17 per cent of the 17 targets projected to be achieved by 2030. 'Conflicts, structural vulnerabilities and limited fiscal space impede SDG progress in many parts of the world,' said economist Jeffrey Sachs in the report, cited by the news agency. Neighbouring nations like Bhutan ranked at the 74th place with 70.5 points, Nepal at the 85th rank with 68.6 points, Bangladesh at 114th place with 63.9 points, and Pakistan at 140th rank with 57 points, according to the news report. Others like the Maldives and Sri Lanka ranked 53rd and 93rd in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) achievements report. European nations like the Nordic countries continue to rank at the top of the SDG Index 2025, with Finland leading the charge at the top, followed by Sweden and Denmark. A total of 19 nations from the top 20 in the ranking list are from Europe, as per the report. The report comes ahead of the fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Seville, Spain. The event is set to be hosted between 30 June 2025 and 3 July 2025, according to the news report. 'Money flows readily to rich countries and not to the emerging and developing economies (EMDEs) that offer higher growth potential and rates of return. At the top of the agenda at FfD4 is the need to reform the GFA so that capital flows in far larger sums to the EMDEs,' according to the report cited by the news agency.


Economic Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
India Achieves Milestone: Enters Top 100 in 2025 Global SDG Rankings
PTI India enters top 100 in SDG rankings for the first time India has for the first time secured a place among the top 100 out of 167 countries ranked for their progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to a report published on Tuesday. According to the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network's 10th and latest Sustainable Development Report (SDR), India ranks 99th on the 2025 SDG Index with a score of 67, while China ranks 49th with 74.4 and the US 44th with 75.2 points. India ranked 109th in 2024, 112th in 2023, 121st in 2022, 120th in 2021, 117th in 2020, 115th in 2019, 112th in 2018 and 116th in 2017. Among India's neighbours, Bhutan takes 74th place with 70.5 points, Nepal ranks 85th with 68.6, Bangladesh 114th with 63.9 and Pakistan 140th with 57 points. India's maritime neighbours, Maldives and Sri Lanka, stood at 53rd and 93rd places, respectively. The SGDs were adopted in 2015 with the idea that to save the planet, no one should be left behind in the overall development matrix by 2030. The score measures progress on a scale of 0 to 100 where 100 indicates a country has achieved all 17 goals and 0 means no progress has been made. The report's authors flagged that SDG progress has stalled at the global level, with only 17 per cent of the 17 targets projected to be achieved by 2030. "Conflicts, structural vulnerabilities and limited fiscal space impede SDG progress in many parts of the world," said the report, with world-renowned economist Jeffrey Sachs as its lead author. European countries, especially the Nordic nations, continue to top the SDG Index, with Finland ranking first, Sweden second and Denmark third. A total of 19 out of the top 20 countries are in Europe. Yet even these countries face significant challenges in achieving at least two goals, including those related to climate and biodiversity, largely due to unsustainable consumption, the authors said. East and South Asia have outperformed all other global regions in terms of SDG progress since 2015 largely due to rapid socioeconomic development. The countries in East and South Asia that have demonstrated the fastest progress since 2015 (in points) include Nepal (+11.1), Cambodia (+10), the Philippines (+8.6), Bangladesh (+8.3) and Mongolia (+7.7). The other countries showing rapid progress among their peers include Benin (+14.5), Peru (+8.7), the United Arab Emirates (+9.9), Uzbekistan (+12.1), Costa Rica (+7) and Saudi Arabia (+8.1). Though only 17 per cent of the targets are on track to be achieved worldwide, most UN member states have made strong progress on targets related to access to basic services and infrastructure, including mobile broadband use (SDG 9), access to electricity (SDG 7), internet use (SDG 9), under-five mortality rate (SDG 3) and neonatal mortality (SDG 3). Five targets show significant reversals in progress since 2015. These are obesity rate (SDG 2), press freedom (SDG 16), sustainable nitrogen management (SDG 2), the Red List Index (SDG 15) and the Corruption Perceptions Index (SDG 16). The report said the top three countries most committed to the UN multilateralism are Barbados (1), Jamaica (2) and Trinidad and Tobago (3). Among G20 nations, Brazil (25) ranks highest, while Chile (7) leads among the OECD countries. The United States, which recently withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization (WHO) and formally declared its opposition to the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda, ranks last (193rd) for the second year in a row. The report, which comes ahead of the fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Seville, Spain, (June 30-July 3) noted the global financial architecture (GFA) is broken. "Money flows readily to rich countries and not to the emerging and developing economies (EMDEs) that offer higher growth potential and rates of return. At the top of the agenda at FfD4 is the need to reform the GFA so that capital flows in far larger sums to the EMDEs," it said.
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Business Standard
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
India enters SDG global top 100, driven by clean energy and health gains
India has entered the top 100 countries in the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index for the first time, securing the 99th position out of 193 nations in the 2025 global rankings. With a score of 67, this marks a significant jump for India—surpassing regional peers like Bangladesh (114th), and Pakistan (140th). Sri Lanka ranked 93rd, while China ranked 49th. The country's advancement is being credited to notable improvements in poverty reduction, access to clean energy, healthcare, and infrastructure. What are the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? Adopted by UN member states in 2015, the 17 SDGs aim to eradicate poverty, reduce inequality, improve health and education, protect the environment, and ensure global cooperation by 2030. These include goals like No Poverty (SDG 1), Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3), Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7), and Climate Action (SDG 13). Global progress off-track, but Asia shows momentum According to the latest report by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, only 17 per cent of global SDG targets are on track for 2030. Progress has stalled worldwide due to conflict, economic instability, and environmental crises. Yet, East and South Asia are emerging as regional leaders. India's progress aligns with a broader upward trend in the region, with Nepal and Bangladesh also showing gains. Meanwhile, 19 of the top 20 countries are in Europe, led by Finland, Sweden, and Denmark. India's rise powered by welfare schemes and renewables No Poverty (Goal 1) Climate Action (Goal 13) Good Health (Goal 3) Clean Water & Sanitation (Goal 6) Affordable and Clean Energy (Goal 7) Industry and Infrastructure (Goal 9) Sustainable Cities (Goal 11) Flagship schemes such as: Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – 40 million+ homes built PM Ujjwala Yojana – 100 million LPG connections Jal Jeevan Mission – piped water to 149 million households Swachh Bharat – 110 million toilets constructed Ayushman Bharat – 300 million beneficiaries under health cover have been instrumental in accelerating India's SDG journey. Green energy push helps boost score India's renewable energy share now stands at 46.3 per cent of total capacity, crossing the 200 GW mark. This supports the government's goal of reaching 500 GW from non-fossil sources by 2030, as per Central Electricity Authority data. Milestone signals India's expanding global role Crossing into the SDG Top 100 underscores India's accelerated, multi-sectoral development strategy and positions the country as a stronger voice in international sustainability discussions. However, experts warn that sustained progress will require greater efforts in tackling regional disparities, improving data systems, and maintaining coordinated action across states and sectors. Financing gap in focus ahead of key UN conference The SDG 2025 report's release comes just days before the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Seville, Spain. The report highlights that global capital still flows disproportionately to developed nations, leaving emerging economies with fewer tools to meet SDG targets. 'Money flows readily to rich countries and not to the emerging and developing economies (EMDEs) that offer higher growth potential and rates of return,' the report notes. 'At the top of the agenda at FfD4 is the need to reform the global financial architecture.'
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Business Standard
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
India enters top 100 in global SDG rankings of nations for first time
According to the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network's 10th and latest Sustainable Development Report (SDR), India ranks 99th on the 2025 SDG Index with a score of 67 Press Trust of India New Delhi India has for the first time secured a place among the top 100 out of 193 countries ranked for their progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to a report published on Tuesday. According to the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network's 10th and latest Sustainable Development Report (SDR), India ranks 99th on the 2025 SDG Index with a score of 67, while China ranks 49th with 74.4 and the US 44th with 75.2 points. Among India's neighbours, Bhutan takes 74th place with 70.5 points, Nepal ranks 85th with 68.6, Bangladesh 114th with 63.9 and Pakistan 140th with 57 points. India's maritime neighbours, Maldives and Sri Lanka, stood at 53rd and 93rd places, respectively. The report's authors said that SDG progress has stalled at the global level, with only 17 per cent of the 17 targets adopted by the UN member countries in 2015 projected to be achieved by 2030. "Conflicts, structural vulnerabilities and limited fiscal space impede SDG progress in many parts of the world," the report, with world-renowned economist Jeffrey Sachs as its lead author, said. European countries, especially the Nordic nations, continue to top the SDG Index, with Finland ranking first, Sweden second and Denmark third. A total of 19 out of the top 20 countries are in Europe. Yet even these countries face significant challenges in achieving at least two goals, including those related to climate and biodiversity, largely due to unsustainable consumption, the authors said. East and South Asia have outperformed all other global regions in terms of SDG progress since 2015 largely due to rapid socioeconomic development. The countries in East and South Asia that have demonstrated the fastest progress since 2015 (in points) include Nepal (+11.1), Cambodia (+10), the Philippines (+8.6), Bangladesh (+8.3) and Mongolia (+7.7). The other countries showing rapid progress among their peers include Benin (+14.5), Peru (+8.7), the United Arab Emirates (+9.9), Uzbekistan (+12.1), Costa Rica (+7) and Saudi Arabia (+8.1). Though only 17 per cent of the targets are on track to be achieved worldwide, most UN member states have made strong progress on targets related to access to basic services and infrastructure, including mobile broadband use (SDG 9), access to electricity (SDG 7), internet use (SDG 9), under-five mortality rate (SDG 3) and neonatal mortality (SDG 3). Five targets show significant reversals in progress since 2015. These are obesity rate (SDG 2), press freedom (SDG 16), sustainable nitrogen management (SDG 2), the Red List Index (SDG 15) and the Corruption Perceptions Index (SDG 16). The report said the top three countries most committed to the UN multilateralism are Barbados (1), Jamaica (2) and Trinidad and Tobago (3). Among G20 nations, Brazil (25) ranks highest, while Chile (7) leads among OECD countries. The United States, which recently withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization (WHO) and formally declared its opposition to the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda, ranks last (193rd) for the second year in a row. The report, which comes ahead of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Seville, Spain, (June 30-July 3) noted the global financial architecture (GFA) is broken. "Money flows readily to rich countries and not to the emerging and developing economies (EMDEs) that offer higher growth potential and rates of return. At the top of the agenda at FfD4 is the need to reform the GFA so that capital flows in far larger sums to the EMDEs," it said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)