According to the 9th edition of the Sustainable Development Report, released by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), the Portuguese State is slightly above the regional average (77.2) and compliance with more than half of the 17 SDGs is defined as “achieved” or “in progress”.

Compliance with the objectives was assessed with four colours: green, yellow, orange, and red, on a scale that ranges from SDGs achieved (green) to the continuation of major obstacles (red) to meet the UN goals by 2030.

The only objective given as achieved by Portugal in this document was the eradication of poverty, with progress also being made in three other areas, namely gender equality, clean and accessible energy, and sustainable cities and communities, although it is still considered that these three dimensions remain challenges to overcome.

Moderate progress was also recorded by the country in seven SDGs: health and well-being, clean water and sanitary conditions, decent work and economic growth, industry/innovation and infrastructure, reducing inequalities, climate action, partnerships for the goals. The areas of health and work are classified in yellow, reflecting the existence of challenges in meeting the established goals.

However, despite the evolution, the areas of climate action and partnerships are still classified as major challenges (red), and the SDGs of clean water and sanitary conditions, reduction of inequalities, and industry/innovation and infrastructure appear in orange, that is, they persist significant challenges to its fulfilment.

The report also indicates a trend of stagnation in performance in relation to six objectives, including the end of hunger, quality of education, responsible production and consumption, aquatic life, terrestrial life, peace/justice and strong institutions. There was no general record of setbacks in achieving the SDGs until the end of this decade.

If only one objective was considered fulfilled (green colour), on the other hand, the document points out five SDGs at the red level in Portugal, that is, the lowest. These include ending hunger, responsible production and consumption, climate action, aquatic life and establishing partnerships to achieve goals.

The persistence of significant challenges label (orange) was applied to six of the 17 SDGs in the country. In addition to the SDGs of clean water and sanitary conditions, reduced inequalities and industry/innovation and infrastructure, quality of education, life on land and peace/justice and strong institutions also appear in this category.

Five objectives were given a yellow rating – permanence of challenges –, including health and well-being, gender equality, clean and accessible energy, decent work and economic growth, and sustainable cities and communities.

In the analysis of support for UN multilateralism, Portugal closes the list of the top 100 with a score of 69.6, in a ranking led by Barbados (92.0) and closed by the United States of America, in position 193 in the ranking (15.8).

SDSN has operated since 2012 under the aegis of the UN Secretary-General and mobilises global scientific and technological expertise to promote practical solutions for sustainable development, including the implementation of the SDGs and the Paris Climate Agreement.