The Just Transition in the European Union
27 January 2025

New Report Highlights Lagging Sustainable Development in Europe

The Europe Sustainable Development Report 2025 (ESDR), published by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), has unveiled a troubling deceleration in Europe’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Covering 41 nations – including all 27 EU member states, nine EU candidate countries, four European Free Trade Agreement nations, and the United Kingdom – the report underscores the urgency for the new EU leadership to recommit to these global targets.

Slowing Progress and Environmental Challenges

This latest edition of the ESDR, the sixth in the series, presents an SDG Index and Dashboards to track progress. It finds that between 2020 and 2023, the EU’s progress towards the SDGs has slowed dramatically, increasing by only 0.8 points, compared to 1.9 points between 2016 and 2019. The report also highlights persistent environmental and biodiversity challenges, particularly in relation to SDG 2, which concerns sustainable food and land systems.

Key Insights from the Report:

  • Slowdown in SDG Progress: The EU’s advancement towards sustainability targets has lost momentum, requiring urgent intervention.
  • Environmental and Biodiversity Concerns: Food and agricultural systems remain a key obstacle, with sustainability efforts falling short.
  • Unequal Development Across Europe: While some nations rank among the top SDG performers globally, disparities persist both within and between countries.
  • Dietary Changes as a Sustainability Solution: An associated SDSN-EESC study highlights the need for healthier, more sustainable diets to transform Europe’s agri-food systems.
  • Negative Global Impact: The EU’s high consumption levels and global supply chains contribute significantly to environmental and social spillover effects worldwide.

A Call for Stronger Leadership

The ESDR 2025 argues that growing global instability is obstructing sustainable development. However, it maintains that the SDGs can still be achieved through international cooperation and technological advancements. The report urges new EU leaders to act decisively, upholding the UN Charter while accelerating sustainability efforts.

Priorities for the New EU Leadership

The ESDR 2025 outlines four key priorities to accelerate SDG implementation in Europe:

  1. Scaling Up Investments in Green and Digital Technologies: Increasing funding for clean energy and digital advancements to drive long-term sustainable growth.
  2. Strengthening Social Policies: Addressing the social consequences of rising inflation and geopolitical uncertainty.
  3. Promoting Sustainable Consumption: Encouraging a shift towards healthier, environmentally-friendly diets.
  4. Enhancing Global SDG Diplomacy: Strengthening EU-led diplomatic efforts to support UN principles and push for financial system reform.

Additionally, the report calls for a joint political statement from the European Commission, Council of the EU, and European Parliament to reaffirm their SDG commitments. It also recommends that the European Commission produce a second Voluntary Review before the 2027 UN SDG Summit.

A Crucial Moment for the EU

The upcoming International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4), scheduled to take place in Spain in June 2025, represents a critical opportunity for the EU to demonstrate leadership in reforming global financial systems and boosting investment in sustainability.

More Information

The ESDR 2025 was developed by independent experts at the SDSN in collaboration with civil society and with support from the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union. The methodology is grounded in the global edition of the Sustainable Development Report.