Introduction to the 2026 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Performance Index
The results of the 2026 SDG Performance Index are more than just a snapshot of the global ranking. They also reveal the common characteristics of the top-performing countries and the dynamics of change since 2016. The stakes go beyond the hierarchy, as the goal is to understand the development trajectories by 2030.
Top-Performing Countries
Unsurprisingly, the top of the ranking is largely dominated by European countries and OECD members. The top 10 countries are:
- Finland (1st with a score of 87.40)
- Sweden (2nd: 86.26)
- Denmark (3rd: 85.68)
- Norway (4th: 84.08)
- Germany (5th: 84.02)
- Austria (6th: 83.95)
- France (7th: 83.43)
- United Kingdom (8th: 82.45)
- Iceland (9th: 82.32)
- Czech Republic (10th: 82.21)
These countries demonstrate a shared foundation: strong institutions, effective governance, and public policies that can produce long-term results.
Regional Disparities
The regional disparities confirm this reading, with a clear progression from one level to the next. The OECD countries have an average score of 89.2, followed by Eastern Europe and Central Asia (76.7), and then Sub-Saharan Africa (63.4). The gaps between these regions highlight an unequal progression of sustainable development, marked by very different institutional and economic capacities.
Global Ranking
The ranking continues with a marked European dominance until the 19th place (occupied by the Netherlands). The first non-European country to appear in this list is Japan, ranked 20th. These scores represent the global percentage of completion of the 17 SDGs, where a score of 100 would mean that all objectives have been achieved.
