Pakistan’s SDG ranking falls amid economic, climate challenges

For Pakistanis, last year was likely the worst since 2016 in terms of economic well-being and social inclusion, with climate change further exacerbating the already disproportionate impact on their quality of life.

The country’s ranking on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Index 2024 indicates a decline, with Pakistan falling nine spots from 128th in 2023 to 137th. Among 166 nations assessed on their performance towards 17 global goals, Pakistan has not only faltered but regressed, failing to keep pace with others.

This setback has exposed the vulnerable population to a substandard quality of life, depriving them of the opportunities they deserve.

Pakistan was assessed on 16 goals, with its current status on ‘reduced inequalities’ left blank, despite previously being considered on track for this goal. Pakistan’s overall score stands at 57, with declines noted in three areas: education quality, sustainability, and law and order. Marginal improvements were observed in five goals related to poverty, clean energy, innovation, life below water and partnerships. However, significant challenges remain in seven areas: hunger, health, gender equality, water and sanitation, working conditions, responsible consumption and production, climate action and wild life conservation.

Over the past nine years, Pakistan’s performance on the SDG index has been erratic, showing no direct correlation with its GDP growth rate. The country began at 115th position in 2016 and continued to slip annually, reaching 134th rank in 2020. It then climbed 11 places to 125th by 2022 before declining again. The SDG index acts as a performance report card for a country, compiled annually by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network and the Institute of European Environmental Policy.

The SDGs are a universal agenda for sustainable development, adopted by the UN in 2015, the final year of the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs). At the UN General Assembly that year, all nations pledged to pursue a holistic strategy that integrates economic development, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability. Later, the representatives from the private sector and civil society organisations also committed to supporting these global goals and incorporating them in their planning processes.

Reflecting on Pakistan’s particularly weak performance on key economic and social indicators, the government attributed this underperformance to climate change. In response to queries, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal pointed to the 2022 floods, stating that they “washed away much of the gains achieved with great efforts and precious resources”.

In response to queries, the ministry of climate change and environmental coordination provided a detailed explanation: “The decline in Pakistan’s position on the SDG Index must be viewed in the context of the ‘2022 mega climate disaster’. The unprecedented floods of 2022, driven by extreme weather patterns linked to global climate change, were a major setback. These floods impacted 33 million people, damaged over two million homes, destroyed vast tracts of agricultural land, and caused economic losses estimated at around $30 billion, directly undermining progress in critical SDG areas. The government’s emphasis on the 2022 floods is not an attempt to deflect responsibility but to underscore the severe and tangible impact of climate change on Pakistan’s development trajectory.

“Pakistan is currently working on multiple fronts to build resilience and accelerate progress. It has developed National Adaptation Plan (NAP) to address vulnerabilities in agriculture, water, health, and infrastructure, integrating climate risks into national policies to safeguard development gains.

“Efforts are underway to build climate-resilient infrastructure, including flood protection embankments and improved drainage systems, particularly in vulnerable regions. The government is also advancing green finance initiatives, such as the National Climate Finance Strategy, Climate Budget Tagging, Carbon Markets, Green Finance Taxonomy, and Climate Finance Units, to secure climate finance from public, private, and international sources. Reforestation and ecosystem restoration are being promoted through projects like the “Up-scaled Green Pakistan Programme” and “Recharge Pakistan,” aiming to enhance forest cover, and mitigate floods and droughts. Additionally, institutional capacities are being strengthened through the establishment of the Pakistan Climate Change Authority and the establishing Global Change Impact Studies Centre.”

Commenting on Pakistan’s lack of progress on SDGs, some private sector leaders criticised the government for its ineffective policies, inaction and exclusion of non-governmental stakeholders from planning, implementation and reporting processes. In response, key officials from relevant ministries described this criticism as misplaced.

They argued that Pakistan’s business community lacks discipline and a sense of responsibility.

“They operate in a clandestine manner, manipulating accounts to evade taxes, underpaying employees and avoiding investment in workforce training resulting in low productivity levels. They ignore labour, tax and competition regulations, are risk averse and depend on government subsidies and concessions. Their occasional corporate social responsibility reports often serve as marketing ploys with little meaningful outcomes”, alleged a senior bureaucrat from the planning ministry. 

Pakistan’s ranking on the Sustainable Development Goals Index