Published ahead of the UN Summit of the Future, the SDR 2024 makes recommendations for key reforms necessary to the UN System to strengthen global cooperation and financing for sustainable development / to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
On average, globally, only 16% of the SDG targets are on track to be achieved by 2030, with the remaining 84% demonstrating limited or a reversal of progress. At the global level, SDG progress has been stagnant since 2020, with SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG14 (Life Below Water), SDG15 (Life on Land) and SDG16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) particularly off-track.
Each nation around the world has its own unique set of challenges and opportunities on the path to sustainability. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted by all United Nations member states, provide a global framework to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all. The 2024 Sustainable Development Report, produced by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), for the 9th year in a row, provides an independent quantitative assessment of the progress of countries worldwide towards the SDGs. According to the report, Greece ranks 29th out of 193, with moderate progress on several goals and with a score of 78.7 out of 100, above the regional average (77.2 out of 100). Ahead of Bulgaria or Albania for example, but behind Nordic countries. Nordic countries are among the top ten countries in terms of the implementation of the SDGs.
Located within the Mediterranean basin, Greece is characterized by rich biodiversity wealth and huge solar and wind potential, while being at the crossroads, connecting Europe with Africa and the East. With a population of over 10.480.000 inhabitants, Greece faces a multitude of sustainability challenges that demand attention and collective action. These challenges, ranging from off-track responsible production and consumption patterns, climate change mitigation and adaptation measures, social inequalities, and access to judicial institutions and their timely arrangements, emphasize the urgent need for sustainable development strategies. According to Greece’s SDR profile, major challenges remain for the achievement of SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production, as its implementation progress is decreasing and there has been no improvement compared to the past year. Potential developments in Greece in the last years that may have affected this status include poor performance on municipality waste management and increased imports of goods associated with emissions of reactive nitrogen. On the other hand, SDG 13 – Climate Action is still faced with major challenges. This, according to the SDR, can be attributed to the fact that GHG emissions associated with imports have increased significantly, whilst emissions from the combustion and oxidation of fossil fuels and from cement production – a highly energy-intensive sector – present an upward trend, which undermines other efforts toward achieving that Goal. Finally, SDG 16 – Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions showcases a stagnant condition, characterized by significant challenges. The latter pertain to a downward trend when it comes to the timeliness of administrative proceedings at the national and local levels, affordability and accessibility of judicial matters, as well as a very problematic state in the Press Freedom Index.
The SDR 2024 also presents a new index of countries’ support to UN-based multilateralism, measuring countries’ engagement with and adherence to the UN system and principles. Greece ranks 165th in this index.
On the flip side, Greece performs relatively well on several SDGs, like SDG 1 – No Poverty. Compared to last year, the score is also higher for SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation, as its implementation progress is moderately improving according to Greece’s SDR profile. Furthermore, since the launch of initiatives such as the “Roadless Mountains” and “Fully Protected Beaches”, Greece has made significant progress, driven in particular by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy and the Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency. In addition, by adopting policies such as bans on bottom trawling, we can minimize the unintended, yet indirect degradation of the seabed and marine biodiversity (SDG 14 – Life below water). Recognizing both our achievements and shortcomings enables us to refine our strategies and amplify our impact while identifying key areas of improvement, where Greece’s SDG implementation efforts are essential in moving forward. For instance, a recent legislation on enabling same-sex marriage showcases Greece’s commitment to SDG 5 – Gender Equality, which can serve as an example for other nations to learn from. While it’s tempting to attribute these improvements solely to specific policies or initiatives, it’s crucial to acknowledge the multitude of factors at play: rather than implying direct causality, we emphasize the importance of other measures in facilitating these positive outcomes.
As Greece progresses towards sustainable development, a balanced perspective reveals we are faced with both challenges and opportunities. Drawing insights provided by the SDR and harnessing the collective efforts, Greece can identify areas of success and opportunities for further improvement, which will guide future endeavours towards sustainable development. By maintaining a critical eye, progress will be guided and remain open to adaptation, while Greece can navigate its path towards sustainability with more clarity.
Citation Details: Sachs, J.D., Lafortune, G., Fuller, G. (2024).The SDGs and the UNSummit of the Future. Sustainable Development Report 2024. Paris: SDSN, Dublin: Dublin University Press.
This blog post has been written by Ippokratis Tsevrenis, SDSN Greece intern
