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Executive Summary

The COVID-19 pandemic is a setback for sustainable development everywhere. For the first time since the adoption of the SDGs in 2015, the global average SDG Index score has decreased, driven by increased poverty rates and unemployment.

Part 1: Increasing the Fiscal Space of Developing Countries to achieve the SDGs

The financing needs for SDG investments are far greater than the fiscal space available to low-income developing countries (LIDCs). To achieve the SDGs, the LIDCs will need a significant increase in fiscal space, which will require a combination of domestic and global fiscal policies.

Part 2: The SDG Index and Dashboards

The Sustainable Development Report 2021 presents data on countries' performance against the SDGs. It includes the sixth edition of the global SDG Index and Dashboards. This year's SDG Index is topped by three Nordic countries – Finland, Sweden, and Denmark – yet even these countries face major challenges in achieving several SDGs.

Part 3: Policy Efforts and Monitoring Frameworks for the SDGs

Due to data gaps and time lags in international reporting, national policies and commitments must also be considered in gauging a country’s efforts to achieve the SDGs. This section presents more forward-looking assessments of government efforts to achieve the SDGs.

Part 4: Methods Summary and Data Tables

This section provides a brief summary of the method used to compute the SDG Index and Dashboards. The method has been peer-reviewed and undergone an independent statistical audit by The European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC).