Ireland Ranks 9th out of 14 EU countries on UN SDGs
Ireland ranks 9th out of 14 comparable EU countries in this year’s Sustainable Progress Index. The index comprises three dimensions: economy, society and environment. Ireland is ranked in the middle of the 14 countries on the economy index and on the social index. On the environment index Ireland is towards the bottom of the ranking in 11th place.
The Sustainable Progress Index 2025
The Sustainable Progress Index 2025’ ranks 14 comparable EU countries based on their delivery of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The goal of the SDGs is to change the perspective of public policy, and our analysis has highlighted both the successes and challenges facing Ireland under the headings of economy, society and environment. Although there is clear evidence of progress in Ireland, still challenges remain. Ireland continues to underperform in areas such as affordable energy, clean water, climate action, innovation and infrastructure, and gender equality. This is dragging our overall ranking down even though we are performing well in other areas such as quality education, economic growth and employment progress and good health and wellbeing.
Main Findings
The overall Sustainable Progress Index, which includes all 17 goals set out by the UN, concludes that Ireland is in 9th place out of the 14 countries. Countries at the bottom are Greece, Spain, Portugal and Italy. Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands and Denmark top the rankings.
The report finds that Ireland is ranked joint 7th out of the 14 countries on the economy index. Although the record on GDP per capita and GDP growth and the score on employment rate is good - the low score on the economy index is influenced by several factors including investment in Research and Development (Ireland has the second lowest rate of investment in R&D as % GDP in the EU-14), and the need for further policy action with regard to transport, logistics (we score lowest on logistics capacity among EU-14). These lower the score on this dimension.
On the social index, Ireland is just above the middle of the ranking, in 6th place. We score highly on goals relating to education (Ireland ranks in 1st place), peace and justice (we come 4th in the ranking); good health and wellbeing (3rd place) and reduced inequalities (5th place). We score less well on goals reflecting poverty and gender equality.
Ireland is at placed 11th on the environment index. Significant challenges exist if Ireland is to meet our commitment to the environment goals set out in Agenda 2030. Ireland’s score has improved on some environmental SDGs, notably on SDG 11 ‘Sustainable cities and communities’, but poor performance on goals relating to water quality, affordable and clean energy, responsible production and consumption, and climate change are among the key factors driving the result for this dimension.
Ireland and the SDGs
Strengths
- Ireland is in the top 5 for 6 SDGs; ‘Quality education’ (SDG 4), ‘Good health and Wellbeing’ (SDG3), ‘Good Jobs and Economic Growth (SDG 8)’, ‘Reduced Inequalities’ (SDG 10), ‘Peace and Justice’ (SDG16) and ‘Sustainable cities and communities’ (SDG11).
- Ireland’s relatively good performance on ‘Peace and Justice’ where Ireland ranks 4 points to Ireland having relatively safe quality of life in our cities and communities with a reasonably good transparent, effective and accountable institutions.
- We continue to perform very well on the SDG for ‘Quality Education’ (SDG 4) where Ireland ranks 1, much as expected. From basic education to tertiary education, Ireland’s reputation for ‘quality education’ is evident, although some consideration should be given to the low rate of adult participation in learning.
- Ireland’s relatively good performance on ‘Reduced inequalities’ is worth noting (SDG10): it is likely however that this SDG score is impacted by choice of just 3 indicators in its construction, and the inclusion of a measure of household debt as a % of GNI (Ireland scores well on this in the sample).
- 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.
Weaknesses
- Ireland is in the bottom 5 for 9 SDGs; ‘Zero Hunger (SDG 2), ‘Gender Equality (SDG 5)’, ‘Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6)’, ‘Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7), ‘Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9), ‘Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12)’, ‘Climate Action (SDG 13)’, ‘Life on Land (SDG 15)’, and ‘Partnership for the Goals (SDG 17).
- 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.
- 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’.
- The low score of 13 on SDG2 ‘Zero hunger’ emphasises the need to embrace fully the idea of sustainable agriculture and the impact of obesity on health. While Ireland scores well on cereal yield efficiency and there have been improvements on ammonia emissions, the score on organic farming as a share of agriculture is the lowest in the countries ranked. Obesity in Ireland is the highest among the sample of countries here, according to the most recent Eurostat data which also impacts on the score.
- Ireland’s rank of 10 on SDG9, ‘Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, points to the need for further policy action with regard to logistics and broadband capacities.
Somewhere in the middle
- Ireland is in the middle of the rankings the remaining SDGs. That does not imply we should be complacent. Successful implementation of the SDGs requires a balance between economic and social progress and sustaining the planet’s environment and resources as well as combatting climate change. There is much scope for improvement.