Did you know?
- Ireland ranks 8th out of 14 comparable EU countries in this year’s Sustainable Progress Index, commissioned by Social Justice Ireland. The report entitled ‘Measuring Progress: Sustainable Progress Index 2024’ ranks 14 comparable EU countries based on their delivery of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
2. The index comprises three dimensions: economy, society and environment. Ireland is ranked 9th out of the 14 countries on the economy. On the social index, Ireland is in the middle of the ranking, in 7th place.
3. The report finds that Ireland is ranked 9th out of the 14 countries on the economy index.
4. On the social index, Ireland is in the middle of the ranking, in 7th place. We score highly on goals relating to education, peace and justice; good health and wellbeing; less well on goals reflecting
poverty, inequality and gender equality
5. Ireland is at the bottom of the ranking on the environment index. Significant challenges exist if Ireland is to meet our commitment to the environment goals set out in Agenda 2030
6. The good score on SDG 11 ‘Sustainable Cities and Communities’ where Ireland ranks 2nd indicates that Ireland offers a good quality of life in cities and communities, performing very well on air quality in particular.
7. Challenges lie ahead for progress on achievement of some goals. For example, several of the SDGs reflecting the environment present a less favourable picture of Ireland.
8. Clearly, there are pressing sustainability issues that must be addressed, as reflected by Ireland’s ranking of 10 for three SDGs relating to the environment; SDG 6 ‘Clean Water and Sanitation’, SDG 7
‘Affordable and Clean Energy’, and SDG12, ‘Responsible Consumption and Production’.
9. Ireland is in the middle of the rankings for several of the SDGs; ‘Good Jobs and Economic Growth (SDG 8)’, ‘Reduced Inequality (SDG 10), ‘Climate Action (SDG 13)’, ‘Life Below Water (SDG 14)’, ‘Life on Land (SDG 15)’ and ‘Peace and justice (SDG 16)’
10. While certain areas have witnessed progress, it is important that we do not become complacent; there remains a proportion of indicators that are stagnating or progressing too slowly. Continuous monitoring of all the indicators that make up the goals is required in order to fully meet the aims of Agenda 2030.
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