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India Today
15-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Northeast improves on hunger, poverty parameters, a decade after Act East
The Northeast region is making good progress overall in poverty reduction, eliminating hunger, providing education, gender equality and providing clean water and sanitation to the people of the eight states — the seven sisters and Sikkim — according to a report released by the Niti Aayog and the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region (MoDoNER). The North East Region's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index for 2023-24, shows that 103 districts, accounting for 85% of the region's 121 districts surveyed, are 'Front Runners'. This is a significant rise from 2021-22, when 62%, or 64, of the 103 districts surveyed were clasified as 'Front Runners'.advertisementThe report reveals that Achiever districts in the Northeast have increased from 12 in 2021-22 to 26 in the latest districts are categorised based on their progress as Achievers (those that have met the target), Front Runners (close to meeting the target), Performers (showing moderate progress), and Aspirants (requiring more focused attention). The NER's SDG Index used 84 indicators to evaluate progress in areas like poverty, hunger, and in the 'poverty' category, the number of Aspirant districts has seen a sharp decline, dropping from 20 to just 3. Similar was the case under 'zero hunger' category, where Aspirant districts have dropped from 21 to just Water and Sanitation (SDG 6) has 114 Front Runner districts, up from 81, driven by initiatives like the Jal Jeevan Equality (SDG 5) progressed, with 112 districts as Front Runners, up from 71. Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7) doubled its Achiever districts to 14, indicating better access to electrification and clean cooking MIZORAM, TRIPURA DISTRICTS IN TOP 10Three districts each from Nagaland, Mizoram, and Tripura, and one from Sikkim made it to the list of Top 10 districts on the NER's SDG Index for all districts in Mizoram and Tripura emerged as 'Front Runners'. Hnahthial in Mizoram led with a score of performed well on a slew of parameters, such as gender equality (SDG 5), clean water and sanitation (SDG 6), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), and sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11), among eight districts, all Front Runners, showed consistent progress in infrastructure (SDG 9) and reduced inequalities (SDG 10), with Gomati ranking fourth overall at PERFORMANCES VARY IN THE NORTH EAST REGIONAssam, with 89% of its 33 districts as Front Runners, is strong in Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8), led by Dibrugarh. In the NER District SDG Index 2021-22, Assam had 31 districts assessed, with 19 districts (61%) classified as Front six districts, all Front Runners, performed well in Quality Education (SDG 4).advertisementTripura showed strength in Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9) and Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10).Arunachal Pradesh, with 59% Front Runners, lagged in Climate Action (SDG 13), while Meghalaya struggled with Quality Education (SDG 4).NORTHEAST STILL LAGS BEHIND ON SOME INDICATORSThough there has been a significant improvement overall, there are still many districts in the Northeast that lag on several Action (SDG 13) has 49 districts in the Aspirant category, signalling weak environmental Consumption and Production (SDG 12) saw Front Runner districts drop from 67 to Inequalities (SDG 10) also weakened, with Aspirant districts rising from 12 to MANIPUR SEES 75% FRONT RUNNERSManipur, marked by ethnic tensions since May 3, 2023, showed a mixed its 16 districts, 75% are Front Runners. The state performed well in Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6), Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7), Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8), Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11), and Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions (SDG 16).Imphal West was ranked the top Noney and Pherzwl districts were ranked national schemes and local efforts have driven gains, challenges like climate resilience, inequality, and incomplete data collection require targeted coverage has grown from 103 districts in the first edition to 121 in the latest, data gaps in newly created and remote districts remain. Only filling these gaps can present a complete picture of the entire Northeast report, released with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), assessed 121 of 131 districts across eight states on 15 of the 17 SDG districts were excluded, seemingly because they were either newly created or located in remote areas. Of these, five districts were from Nagaland, which were formed in 2021 and 2022. One district was excluded from Meghalaya, two districts were excluded from Assam, and two districts were excluded from Arunachal only 15 SDGs were considered for the region because SDG 14 (Life Below Water) may not be applicable to the landlocked region, and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) may have limited relevance at the district level due to its focus on global cooperation and resource mobilisation.- EndsMust Watch
Observer
02-07-2025
- Business
- Observer
Oman's urban vision and insights from Singapore
As cities worldwide navigate climate change, rapid urbanisation and digital transformation, Oman is emerging as a quiet innovator — one that blends tradition with ambition and culture with forward-thinking strategy. Under the guidance of Oman Vision 2040, the country is shaping an urban future defined not just by infrastructure and technology, but by inclusion, sustainability and human dignity. From Sultan Haitham City to Yiti Sustainable City, Oman is investing in smart, livable and ecologically conscious urban environments. These projects are more than real estate — they are expressions of a national vision that places people, place and progress in balance. Smart Cities with Omani Character Oman Vision 2040 provides a bold framework for sustainable development, aligned with global priorities like the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 11 and SDG 9). But Oman's approach to smart cities is refreshingly its own. Rather than chase flashy technological fixes, the country is emphasising local context — designing communities that respect the landscape, enhance quality of life and elevate Omani culture. Urban planners are increasingly asking: How can smart cities reflect who we are? This sense of authenticity is what sets Oman apart. Singapore A Source of Inspiration While every city's path is unique, learning from others is key. Singapore, a global leader in integrated urban development, offers a set of complementary insights that can inspire Oman's evolving approach. Oman's approach stands out for its grounded optimism, cultural depth, and commitment to people-centered progress. Here are five areas where Oman can draw strength and direction: 1. Holistic Policy Planning Singapore demonstrates the power of long-term, cross-sector planning. Oman is on a similar path and further coordination between ministries, municipalities and private sector actors can unlock even greater results. 2. People-Centred Innovation In Singapore, smart solutions are designed with and for citizens — from user-friendly e-services to participatory urban platforms. Oman's youth councils, local forums and ambassador programmes offer a strong foundation to expand citizen engagement in future city-making. 3. Sustainability in Action Singapore's zero-waste efforts and water management systems are backed by long-term investment and national buy-in. Oman is taking promising steps through Yiti and Sultan Haitham City — now is the time to embed climate resilience and resource efficiency across the urban system. 4. Digital Trust and Data Access Oman's investments in AI, IoT and digital infrastructure are commendable. Building on this, introducing open urban data platforms could enhance transparency, foster innovation and strengthen public trust — beginning with new city developments. 5. Inclusive Growth and Access Ensuring that smart city benefits reach all segments of society is a hallmark of Singapore's approach. Oman has an opportunity to deepen its commitment to digital inclusion — especially for SMEs, rural communities and underrepresented groups. Unlocking the Next Phase Policy Enablers To continue advancing, Oman could consider a few practical enablers: • Urban Living Labs: Establish community-driven innovation spaces in Muscat, Al Duqm and Sultan Haitham City, where public and private actors collaborate on real-world urban solutions. • Smart Oman Charter: A values-based national policy framework to guide ethics, data governance and sustainable standards in urban development. • Smart Infrastructure Fund: A blended finance mechanism to scale urban infrastructure, supported by public-private partnerships and global green capital. These initiatives would not only strengthen domestic capacity — they would also signal Oman's role as a regional convenor and thought leader in smart and sustainable urbanism. A Vision Worth Building Oman is not simply adapting to change — it is helping define what a smart city means for the Arab world. The Sultanate of Oman's approach stands out for its grounded optimism, cultural depth and commitment to people-centred progress. Where Singapore offers lessons in systems thinking and precision execution, Oman brings something equally powerful: a model of smart urbanism rooted in identity, resilience and vision. As the country moves forward, this blend of local values and global openness will be its greatest strength. The future Oman is building is not just smart — it is wise.
Al Etihad
01-07-2025
- Science
- Al Etihad
UAEU makes major leap in Times Higher Education Impact Rankings
1 July 2025 14:51 AL AIN (WAM)The United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) has achieved a significant milestone in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2025, advancing by 100 places to be ranked among the top 101–200 universities strong performance underscores UAEU's growing global influence in delivering the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through research, education, and community year, UAEU has been ranked across 12 SDGs, compared to 11 in the previous year, with the addition of SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure. Notably, UAEU secured a top 50 global position in two SDGs: SDG 4: Quality Education (ranked 16) and SDG 2: Zero Hunger (ranked 41). The university also achieved significant recognition in SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals (84) and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities (99) — reflecting its global and regional Mohsen Sherif, Provost of UAEU and Chair of the UAEU Sustainability Committee, stated, 'This remarkable progress in the 2025 THE Impact Rankings reflects UAEU's sustained efforts in integrating the SDGs into every facet of our academic, research, and outreach missions."Our strong performance across 12 SDGs, particularly in education, hunger, innovation, and equity, is a testament to the university's role in shaping a more sustainable and inclusive future. UAEU is proud to serve as a hub for climate-conscious innovation, regional capacity building, and global partnerships.'As part of its strategic roadmap towards COP28 and beyond, UAEU has launched a postdoctoral fellowship programme focused on climate action, designed to attract global researchers to work on decarbonisation, climate resilience, food-water-energy systems, and policy innovation. The fellowships reflect the university's alignment with the UAE's national climate agenda and its long-term vision for scientific leadership in UAEU has also partnered with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs to implement the African Women Empowerment Programme, an initiative that equips female scholars and professionals across Africa with the knowledge and tools to address key SDG challenges through science, education, and leadership development. The effort highlights UAEU's dedication to inclusive growth and international cooperation. The UAEU's rising trajectory in the global sustainability space affirms its mission as a national institution committed to advancing research, innovation, and partnerships that drive lasting impact in the UAE, the region, and the world.
Economic Times
24-06-2025
- 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
24-06-2025
- 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.)
