The United Nations Sustainable Development Report gives the top spot on the podium to Finland. With a score of 85.9 out of 100, it is the country closest to achieving all 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) endorsed by the UN General Assembly in 2015.
And what makes Finland the leader? Ending poverty, ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for the entire population, or access to reliable and sustainable energy sources at affordable costs.
Sweden and Denmark complete the podium. Germany, Belgium, Austria, Norway, France, Slovenia and Estonia follow. Portugal is in 27th place, behind Spain or Italy, fully meeting the goal regarding access to energy sources. Of the 17 SDGs, the country presents major or significant challenges in eight.
The Environmental Performance Index, an initiative of Yale and Columbia universities, two of the most prestigious in the US, gives Denmark first place. Here too, Europe dominates the top 10 places, attesting to the continent's leadership when it comes to environmental sustainability and climate change.
The Nordic country gets 82.5 points in the 2020 index, thanks to good performance in almost all criteria. And what are they? The study evaluates 32 indicators in 11 categories: air quality, drinking water and sanitation, exposure to heavy metals, waste management, biodiversity, ecosystem preservation, fisheries, climate change, pollutant emissions, agriculture, and water resources.
Denmark stands out as the first place in several indicators, such as the protection of marine areas and species, the reduction of pollutant emissions (it is the only one to achieve the maximum score) or the treatment of wastewater. Luxembourg, Switzerland, United Kingdom and France complete the top 5 in the Environmental Performance Index.
Portugal ranks 27th out of 180 countries, with 67 points. It is 15th in air quality and 20th in waste management and even manages a first place in sulfur dioxide emissions reduction and protection of terrestrial biomes, although it does not get more than a 40th place in the category of ecosystem vitality, due to a poor score in biodiversity. It is also 167th in forest area disappearance and 120th in wetland loss.
"Good governance, more than any other factor, separates nations that are moving toward a sustainable future from those that are not," Alex de Sherbinin of Columbia's Earth Institute.
At the bottom of the list are Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Liberia. Alex de Sherbinin of Columbia's Earth Institute says that "good governance, more than any other factor, separates nations that are moving toward a sustainable future from those that are not." The best-placed countries have in common the adoption of long-term commitments and carefully crafted programs to protect public health, conserve natural resources, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Sweden contributes the most to humanity
The Good Country Index takes a slightly different approach: it seeks to measure what each country contributes to the common good of humanity and what it takes away, relative to its size. Using data from the United Nations and other organizations, it builds a balance sheet that allows an assessment of whether a country is a creditor or a burden to the planet.
The latest edition, 2019, gives the podium to Sweden, followed by Denmark, Germany, Canada and the Netherlands. Finland, France, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Norway complete the top ten list. Portugal is 35th, standing out in the contribution to the planet and climate, where it is ninth.
Sweden also tops the sustainability ranking of Robeco, one of Europe's largest asset managers, with 188 billion euros under its belt. The Dutch company's analysis uses environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria, which in recent years have become increasingly popular among investors and were reinforced with the pandemic. According to Bloomberg, the amount invested in ESG assets in Europe alone reached $1.4 trillion by the end of 2020. There are estimates that point to 53 billion by 2025, worldwide.
In addition to Sweden, the top 10 published in April include Finland, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, New Zealand, Luxembourg, Canada, and the Netherlands. In addition to environmental criteria, Robeco's ranking includes factors such as the aging population, the risk of social conflict, the level of corruption, the quality of institutions, and political risk.