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15-07-2025
- General
- Scroll.in
Five years to go, India's climate action SDGs show worsening trend
For the first time, India entered the top 100 countries in the annual Sustainable Development Report, which assesses progress on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals – SDGs. India ranked 99th out of 167 nations in the 2025 report, up from 109 in 2024 and 112 in 2023, but the data reveals that sustainability challenges remain, especially in relation to environmental goals. This year's report shows that only one-third of India's SDG targets, meant to be achieved by 2030, are 'on track', while there is limited progress on others with some even slipping backwards. India is firmly on track with progress on two of the 17 SDG goals, No Poverty (SDG 1) and Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10). Progress on others, including Zero Hunger (SDG 2), Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9), Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11), Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12), and Life on Land (SDG 15), is stagnating. Other goals, such as Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7) and Life Below Water (SDG 14), are showing moderate improvement. Most concerning is Climate Action (SDG 13), which shows a worsening trend, indicating that India's efforts to take action to combat climate change and its impacts are not improving. The scores signal that without a dramatic policy shift and vigorous implementation, India risks falling short of the 20230 target to achieve the SDG goals. The annual report, released since 2016 is prepared by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network which operates under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General, to drive action on the SDGs. Water stress and coal National statistics paint a rosy picture. India boasts nearly universal electrification, clean cooking, and safe sanitation. For instance, 80% of rural households now have an improved drinking-water source through tap water, 100% have access to electricity, and 85% use clean cooking fuel. Yet global assessments remain cautious. The 2025 report flags India's performance on Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6) as only 'moderately improving,' citing unsustainable freshwater withdrawals and the hidden toll of water‐intensive imports. Venkatesh Dutta, a professor at School of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, points out that 'we have not progressed much on water circularity', meaning the water the country pulls out isn't being reused by industry, and overall, freshwater withdrawals keep rising. He warns that India's focus needs to shift to resource sustainability. 'Nobody is talking about resource sustainability. Your freshwater is being obstructed and it is not being returned back to nature in the state in which you took it,' he says, indicating that the country must think about what happens to water after industries use it. Dutta adds that industrial growth often concentrates in areas already short on water, so policy must ensure that after use – especially in big clusters like power plants – water is cleaned and reused. 'Water has to be reused,' he says, suggesting rules that force industries to use treated wastewater for cooling and other needs. But at the current pace, he warns, 'we are not going to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in 2030'. India's progress towards Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 7, paints a similar picture, with the report noting that the country's score on this SDG is moderately improving but insufficient to attain the goal. Access to power is nearly universal, and renewable energy capacity is expanding rapidly, yet the energy mix in India is still dominated by coal, and carbon emissions remain high. Without a faster shift to green energy, this goal will remain off track. 'We've achieved almost 100% electrification in terms of connections, but coal still provides over 70% of the electricity that flows through the grid. Renewables account for around 45% of the installed capacity, yet their share has hovered around 22%-24% in recent years in terms of actual generation. We expect coal's share to fall below 50% by 2030 as renewable capacity further expands, ' says Debajit Palit, Centre Head at the Centre for Climate Change and Energy Transition, Chintan Research Foundation. 'In absolute terms, though India ranks among the top five carbon emitters globally, yet our per-capita emissions remain extremely low. Over the last decade, our economy has grown at around 6.5 to 8% annually, while our carbon emissions have risen at only about 4%, showing we're improving the carbon intensity of our growth,' says Palit. He also highlights the issue related to clean cooking fuel. 'LPG has helped expand clean-cooking access, but it is still a fossil fuel. The real goal is electric cooking, powered by a greener grid. This shift won't happen overnight, but we're on the right path,' notes Palit. Sustainability falters India is witnessing rapid urbanisation and the challenges that come with it have been documented in several reports, including the recent SDG report. It assesses India's performance on Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11) using four indicators – the proportion of urban population living in slums, air pollution, access to improved water source, and public transport. Except for the access to public transport, performance on the other three indicators is either stagnant or worsening. Nearly one in four urban Indians still lives in slums or informal settlements. Air pollution also remains severe, and this is corroborated by other reports such as a recent World Bank study that found that all of India's 1.4 billion people – 100% of the country's population – are exposed to outdoor air pollution above World Health Organization safety limits. Reducing PM 2.5 pollution and upgrading water and housing for urban dwellers must become urgent policy priorities, says Palit. He adds that air pollution sources are deeply embedded within city systems, from vehicular emissions, construction dust, and small-scale industries, to poorly enforced environmental regulations. 'We need a more holistic, comprehensive reform and continuous monitoring of vehicles, industries, and construction,' he says, adding that 'our enforcement is very weak.' Citing the example of Delhi, Palit notes that despite bans on older vehicles, 95% of fitness checks are still conducted manually, making it difficult to track real-time particulate emissions. He argues for a shift toward a 'data-centric enforcement model' that can accurately monitor and regulate polluters. Moreover, shifting polluting industries from city peripheries, such as Noida or Faridabad, faces political and economic resistance. 'The government needs to create an incentive mechanism to enable this shift,' he says. Performance on Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 12, also remains a critical concern. While India's economic expansion has lifted millions out of poverty, it has also driven up resource extraction and pollution. Production-based air and nitrogen emissions continue to exceed safe limits, even as municipal solid-waste collection and e-waste recycling show modest improvement. Climate and biodiversity According to the Sustainable Development Report, India's efforts towards Climate Action, SDG13, are 'decreasing, with challenges', especially with emissions from the combustion and oxidation of fossil fuels and from cement production increasing. India has pledged expansion of solar and wind energy and participates actively in international climate talks; however, its greenhouse gas emissions are rising as it develops. India's per capita carbon dioxide emissions from fuel and cement are still substantial (the country now emits more CO₂ in total than any nation except China and the US). Major challenges remain in India's efforts to protect Life Below Water, SDG 14, and Life on Land, SDG 15, notes the report. Marine biodiversity protections and fish stock management show limited progress. Fishing practices, such as trawling, are putting ocean life under strain. On land, deforestation, soil degradation, and habitat loss pose a significant risk to India's biodiversity and forest cover. Conservation programs exist, but they cannot keep up with the pace of habitat destruction. India's rise to 99th place is a milestone, but without swift and enforceable action on water, energy, and pollution, this achievement risks being undone.
Indian Express
26-06-2025
- 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
25-06-2025
- 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
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 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.'
