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Sustainable Development Report (SDR) 2025

Syllabus: Sustainable Management

Source:  NDTV

Context: India has, for the first time, ranked in the top 100 (99th) in the Sustainable Development Report (SDR) 2025 released by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), marking its 10th edition.

About Sustainable Development Report (SDR) 2025:

  • What it is: The Sustainable Development Report is the world’s most authoritative ranking on progress towards SDGs for 193 UN member states.
  • Released by: UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN).
  • Focus of 2025 edition: Financing SDGs by 2030 and reforming the Global Financial Architecture (GFA).
  • Top Rankers: Finland (1st), Sweden (2nd), Denmark (3rd)

Key Highlights of SDG Report 2025:

  1. Strong Global Commitment: 190 of 193 UN member states submitted Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs), reflecting high global engagement on SDGs.
  2. East and South Asia Lead: These regions show fastest SDG progress since 2015, driven by rapid socio-economic growth and targeted policies.
  3. Top Improvers: Nepal (+11.1), Benin (+14.5), UAE (+9.9), Peru (+8.7) recorded highest score improvements, showing effective domestic SDG implementation.
  4. Europe Tops: 19 of top 20 SDG-performing countries are European, highlighting long-term investment in social welfare and green transitions.
  5. Global Lag: None of the 17 SDGs are fully on track globally and only 17% of targets progressing, signalling serious implementation gaps.
  6. Multilateralism Ranking: Barbados ranks 1st in commitment to UN multilateralism, while the US ranks last (193rd) due to recent withdrawal trends.
  7. Fiscal Space Gap: Nearly 50% of countries lack sufficient fiscal capacity to fund SDG priorities, aggravating development inequality.
  8. Broken Global Finance: Current Global Financial Architecture (GFA) disproportionately favors rich countries, starving EMDEs of needed capital.

India’s Status in SDG Report 2025:

  • Rank: India climbed into 99th place, entering the top 100 for the first time, showing growing alignment with SDG targets.
  • Score: India’s SDG Index score reached 0 points, demonstrating gradual but steady improvement across sectors.
  • Regional Standing: India ranks behind China (49th), ahead of Bangladesh (114th), Pakistan (140th), reflecting South Asia’s varied progress.
  • Progress Areas: Notable gains in digital infrastructure (SDG 9), healthcare (SDG 3), and electricity access (SDG 7) were recorded.
  • Challenges: India struggles with rising obesity (SDG 2), climate action (SDG 13), and press freedom (SDG 16)

Key Challenges to SDG Progress:

  • Geopolitical Conflicts: Conflicts and wars disrupt SDG delivery, particularly in fragile and conflict-prone states.
  • Limited Fiscal Space: Debt burdens in many low- and middle-income countries restrict investments in SDGs and welfare programs.
  • Climate Emergency: Climate change is exacerbating food insecurity, inequality, and biodiversity loss, undermining SDG progress.
  • Weak Financing Mechanism: Global finance disproportionately benefits wealthy countries, leaving EMDEs underfunded for sustainable development.
  • Institutional Gaps: Many nations face weak institutional capacity, poor governance, and lack of data-driven SDG planning.

Recommendations Suggested:

  • Finance UN Systems: Ensure full and predictable funding for UN-led SDG initiatives and development cooperation.
  • Debt Relief: Adopt innovative solutions to reduce debt stress in poor countries, freeing fiscal space for SDG investments.
  • Invest in Global Commons: Mobilize new funding for climate, biodiversity, and clean energy, areas essential for global sustainability.
  • Reform GFA: Reorient global capital flows to align private investment with long-term SDG priorities and sustainability.
  • Multilateral Cooperation: Strengthen UN-based multilateralism to drive coordinated, equitable SDG action across nations.

Conclusion:

The SDG Report 2025 highlights that global SDG progress remains far behind target. India’s entry into the top 100 reflects growing commitment, but structural reforms in global finance, better governance, and stronger international cooperation remain key to achieving the SDGs by 2030