According to the 6th Edition of ‘Sustainable Development Report 2021 (SDR 2021)’ released by Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), India with a score of 60.1 has been placed at 120th rank out of 165 countries. Finland topped the Index followed by Sweden & Denmark.
- For the 1st time since 2015, all countries have shown a reversal in progress in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) due to COVID-19 pandemic.
- SDR 2021 has been written by a group of authors led by Professor Jeffrey Sachs, President of the SDSN and has been published by Cambridge University Press.
SDR Report
- SDR is an annual report which ranks the 193 UN member countries based on their performance against the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
- It has been released since 2015 and is based on official data sources (UN, World Bank, etc.) and non-official data sources (research institutions and non-governmental organizations)
Rank | Country | Index |
|---|---|---|
| 120 | India | 60.1 |
| 1 | Finland | 85.9 |
| 2 | Sweden | 85.6 |
| 3 | Denmark | 84.9 |
Key Points
i.Low-income developing countries (LIDCs) lack the financial capability to achieve SDGs. COVID-19 has further complicated the challenge.
ii.East & South Asia have progressed more on the SDGs than any other region, both since 2010 and since the adoption of SDG in 2015.
iii.3 Individual countries which have progressed most on the SDG Index score since 2015 are Bangladesh, Ivory Coast & Afghanistan.
iv.Chad (163), South Sudan (164), Central African Republic (165) were the least ranked countries.
v.Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)‘s 37 member states are closer to achieving the targets than other country groups, yet none of them are on track to achieve all 17 SDGs.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
- In 2015, the 193 members of the UN set a target to achieve 17 SDGs & 169 related targets by 2030.
- The goals are: no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth; industry, innovation and infrastructure; reduced inequalities; sustainable cities and communities; responsible consumption and production; climate action; life below water; life on land; peace, justice and strong institutions; and strengthening global partnerships for the goals.
NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index 2020-21
In June, 2021, NITI Aayog released the 3rd edition of SDG India Index and dashboard for 2020–21. Kerala retained its rank as the top state, whereas Bihar was adjudged as the worst performer.
About Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN)
President – Jeffrey Sachs
Headquarters – Paris, France & New York, USA
