EU's Performance on Sustainable Development Goals: A Mixed Picture

The latest Eurostat report, “Sustainable Development in the European Union - Monitoring Report on Progress Towards the SDGs in an EU Context - 2024 Edition,” provides a comprehensive statistical analysis of the EU’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) over the past five years. The report indicates that while the EU has made substantial advancements in several areas, it has also faced setbacks in others.

The EU has achieved significant progress in reducing inequalities (SDG 10) and fostering decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), with several indicators reaching record values. There has also been notable progress in reducing poverty (SDG 1). Positive developments have been observed in sustainable agriculture (SDG 2), innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9), sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12), life below water (SDG 14), quality education (SDG 4), and gender equality (SDG 5).

However, moderate progress was noted in goals related to peace, justice and strong institutions (SDG 16), sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11), global partnerships (SDG 17), and climate action (SDG 13). For clean water and sanitation (SDG 6), the data showed mixed results, with some indicators showing positive trends while others showed no progress or regression.

The report highlighted concerns in areas such as affordable and clean energy (SDG 7), where there has been a slight regression in energy affordability and increased energy import dependency, exacerbated by the energy crisis following Russia’s war in Ukraine. The goal on health and well-being (SDG 3) was significantly affected by the setbacks of the COVID-19 pandemic, which are now evident in the data.

The report also pointed out several unsustainable trends in biodiversity and land degradation, leading to a moderately unfavorable assessment of progress on life on land (SDG 15). Despite these challenges, the EU remains committed to its SDGs, with ongoing efforts to align its policies and actions with sustainable development principles.

The EU’s SDG indicator set, structured along 17 goals with 102 indicators, is reviewed annually and aligned, though not identical, with the UN SDG indicators. Many of these indicators are also used to monitor existing policies such as the 8th Environment Action Programme and the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan. The mixed performance underscores the need for continued and focused efforts to achieve all SDGs comprehensively.