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Indicator Assessment of Sustainable Development Goals: A Global Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Idiano D’Adamo

    (Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy)

  • Marialucia Della Sciucca

    (University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy)

  • Massimo Gastaldi

    (Department of Industrial and Information Engineering and Economics, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy)

  • Barbara Lupi

    (Struttura Commissariale Ricostruzione Sisma 2016, Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri, 00184 Rome, Italy)

Abstract

This study compares the progress of 141 countries towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), using a multi-criteria approach based on 72 indicators from the Sustainable Development Report 2024. The adoption of two aggregation methods—min-max and TOPSIS—has made it possible to highlight both the sensitivity of the results to the techniques used and the moderate consistency between the rankings obtained. Sweden comes out on top using the min-max method, followed by Finland and Denmark. The TOPSIS method, on the other hand, rewards Croatia, followed by Brazil and Sweden. The aggregate ranking by position shows Sweden ahead of Finland and Croatia, and there are sixteen European countries in the top twenty. The analysis using the min-max method reveals Sweden’s leadership in economic sustainability, Belarus’s in environmental sustainability, and Denmark’s in social sustainability. At the continental level, Europe—particularly the Nordic countries—stands out as an area of excellence in all dimensions, although North America emerges as the leader in the economic dimension. Africa, instead, shows the poorest results. Furthermore, a comparison between OECD and BRICS+ countries shows a clear superiority of the former, especially in the social sphere. The findings highlight the pressing need for enhanced commitment to the SDGs, calling for coherent, cross-sectoral strategies and long-term global vision in policymaking.

Suggested Citation

  • Idiano D’Adamo & Marialucia Della Sciucca & Massimo Gastaldi & Barbara Lupi, 2025. "Indicator Assessment of Sustainable Development Goals: A Global Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-30, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:18:p:8259-:d:1749285
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Giuseppe Munda, 2016. "Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis and Sustainable Development," International Series in Operations Research & Management Science, in: Salvatore Greco & Matthias Ehrgott & José Rui Figueira (ed.), Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis, edition 2, chapter 0, pages 1235-1267, Springer.
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    4. Idiano D’Adamo & Massimo Gastaldi, 2023. "Monitoring the Performance of Sustainable Development Goals in the Italian Regions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-19, September.
    5. Barbier, Edward B. & Burgess, Joanne C., 2019. "Sustainable development goal indicators: Analyzing trade-offs and complementarities," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 295-305.
    6. Dorota Górecka & Ewa Roszkowska, 2025. "Enhancing Spatial Analysis through Reference Multi-Criteria Methods: A Study Evaluating EU Countries in terms of Sustainable Cities and Communities," Networks and Spatial Economics, Springer, vol. 25(1), pages 1-42, March.
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