Sustainable Progress Index

As we look towards the future and rebuilding our society and our economy the new Government must consider how we can ensure that our recovery package and investment priorities post COVID-19 help us build a sustainable society and economy, and also move us towards a just transition and meeting our climate targets by 2030.

The COVID-19 crisis will impose its heaviest tolls on the most vulnerable, nationally and internationally.  Our recovery must look beyond pure economic growth to a more sustainable society for all.

Ireland ranks 10th out of 15 comparable EU countries in this year’s Sustainable Progress Index, commissioned by Social Justice Ireland.  The index comprises three dimensions: economy, society and environment.  Ireland is ranked 11th out of the 15 countries on the economy dimension.  On the social index, Ireland is in the middle of the ranking, in 7th place.  Ireland, however, scores last on the environment index which suggests we are facing significant challenges in meeting our environmental targets.  

The Government has just launched a new initiative to track Ireland’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – the SDG Hub.  The SDG Hub is a Geosite – a website developed in collaboration with Ordinance Survey Ireland, the Central Statistics Office and Esri Ireland – and contains a lot of useful data and information on the SDGs and how Ireland is measuring them.  This work complements the Sustainable Progress Index produced each year by Social Justice Ireland, and the call for open source data to fill the gaps which remain in creating a full picture of the SDGs echoes our call to the Minister last year.

The OECD is seeking public comments on the draft Recommendation on Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development (PCSD).  The format of the consultation is a short survey (5 questions) and the deadline for submissions is Friday, 28th June 2019.  Social Justice Ireland has published extensively on Ireland's progress towards the SDGs.  To support you to make your submission, we have collated our most recent work in this area in one place.  Please click 'Read More' to access the latest from Social Justice Ireland on Ireland and the SDGs.

Ireland ranks 11th out of 15 comparable EU countries in this year’s Sustainable Progress Index. ‘Measuring Progress: The Sustainable Progress Index 2019’ ranks 15 comparable EU countries based on their delivery of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Ireland’s overall ranking in the bottom third will be noted by key stakeholders after the Irish Government published its SDG ‘National Development Plan’ just last year, committing itself to the UN SDGs across all policy areas.