The Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the Bertelsmann Stiftung launched a new Sustainable Development Goal Index in which India is ranked at a low 110 of 149 nations with regard to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
India which has 1.2 billion people and is expected to grow by another 300 million within the next couple of decades. Providing access to healthcare and drinking water, a reliable power supply and public transportation are some of the key elements for sustainable development.
To meet the challenges of continuing growth without destroying the environment, smart city planning for sustainable development is crucial. But India lacks behind in all these factors.
The index ranks countries based on their performance across the 17 global goals, a set of ambitious objectives across the three dimensions of sustainable development economic development, social inclusion and environmental sustainability, underpinned by good governance.
According to the index all countries face major challenges in achieving these ambitious goals. The index helps countries identify priorities for early actions and shows that every country faces major challenges in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Sweden tops the chart and is followed by Denmark and Norway on the top three performing countries.
Germany (6) and the UK(10) are the only G7 countries to be found among the top ten performers. The US ranks 25th on the index, while Russia and China rank 47th and 76th respectively.
India ranks 110th on the list followed by Lesotho on 113th position, Pakistan (115), Myanmar (117), Bangladesh (118) and Afghanistan (139).
