Maarg Manthan · Topic 18.4

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Environment-Related Indices

Environment & Ecology › International Environmental Governance and Conventions · Topic 18.4

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are 17 goals with 169 targets adopted by all UN member states in September 2015 in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, to be achieved by 2030. They grew out of the Rio+20 conference of 2012 and replaced the Millennium Development Goals (2000 to 2015). Environment-related goals include SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), 7 (affordable and clean energy), 11 (sustainable cities), 12 (responsible consumption and production), 13 (climate action), 14 (life below water) and 15 (life on land), and all goals depend on a healthy environment. Progress is measured with about 230 indicators, and the High-level Political Forum reviews implementation. Several indices track environmental performance: the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) by Yale and Columbia universities, in which India was ranked 180 of 180 in 2022 and 176 of 180 in 2024; the Human Development Index of UNDP; the Climate Change Performance Index, in which India has ranked in the top ten; the Global Climate Risk Index by Germanwatch; the Ecological Footprint; the World Risk Index; and in India the NITI Aayog SDG India Index, which scores states and union territories. Ranks change every edition, so quote the year.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Environment & Ecology · International Environmental Governance and Conventions

At a Glance

SDGs adopted September 2015
Goals and targets 17 and 169
Target year 2030
EPI by Yale and Columbia
India’s own index NITI Aayog SDG India Index
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Environment & Ecology: International Environmental Governance and Conventions

Where Does It Fit?

This topic follows UNEP, IUCN and WWF and presents the main global framework for sustainable development and the indices used to track environmental performance. It leads to the major conferences and conventions. Previous topic: World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Next topic: United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm Conference, 1972).

SDG	Environmental focus
SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation	Safe water, sanitation, water quality, water-use efficiency and protection of water ecosystems
SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy	Universal energy access, more renewables and energy efficiency
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities	Air quality, waste, green spaces and disaster resilience
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production	Sustainable resource use, waste reduction, recycling
SDG 13 Climate Action	Cut emissions, adaptation, climate education and finance
SDG 14 Life Below Water	Marine pollution, acidification, sustainable fisheries and marine protected areas
SDG 15 Life on Land	Forests, desertification, land degradation, biodiversity and invasive species

Which Indices Track Environment and Sustainability?

Environmental Performance Index: Yale and Columbia universities, every two years; 180 countries; India ranked 180 in 2022 and 176 in 2024
Human Development Index: UNDP; health, education, income; India around 134 of 193 in the 2023-24 report
Climate Change Performance Index: Germanwatch, NewClimate Institute and CAN; India in the top ten in recent editions
Global Climate Risk Index: Germanwatch; losses from extreme weather
Ecological Footprint: Global Footprint Network; demand versus biocapacity
SDG Index: Sustainable Development Report by SDSN; India around 109 of 167 in 2024
SDG India Index: NITI Aayog; ranks states; Kerala and Uttarakhand topped the 2023-24 edition with 79
Others: World Risk Index, Water Stress Index, Air Quality Index

What Else Should You Remember?

2030 Agenda: Transforming Our World, adopted 25 September 2015 at the UN
Rio+20: 2012 conference that agreed to develop SDGs
MDGs: eight goals from 2000 to 2015
Five Ps: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership
Indicators: about 230 global indicators
HLPF: High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, the UN’s main review body
Voluntary National Reviews: countries report their progress; India presented in 2017 and 2020
Integrated and indivisible: goals are linked and balance economic, social and environmental
Leave no one behind: central principle
SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals
SDG 1 to 5, 8 to 10, 16: social and economic goals
EPI: uses about 40 indicators across climate, health and ecosystem vitality
EPI 2024: India scored about 27.6 and ranked 176; Estonia was first
Criticism of EPI: India’s government disputed the methodology
CCPI: looks at emissions, renewable energy, energy use and climate policy
SDG India Index 2023-24: India’s composite score was 71, up from 66 in 2020-21
NITI Aayog: nodal body for SDGs in India
North Eastern Region SDG Index: a regional index by NITI Aayog and the ministry
Sustainable Development Report: by Sustainable Development Solutions Network
Green GDP: adjusts GDP for environmental cost; not officially adopted by India
Gross Environment Product: China and others tried
Link to previous: see World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
Link to next: see United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm Conference, 1972)
Link to footprint: see Ecological Footprint and Carbon Footprint
Caution: index ranks and scores change every edition, so always state the year
Exam hint: learn SDG numbers 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and the publisher of each index
Millennium Development Goals: the earlier eight goals (2000 to 2015) focused on poverty, health and education in developing countries, while the SDGs apply to all countries
Targets and means: each goal has targets with deadlines and ‘means of implementation’ targets on finance, technology and capacity
Environmental thread: SDG targets also cover chemicals and waste (12.4), biodiversity (15.5) and sustainable land use (15.3)

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

SDGs: 17 goals, 169 targets
Climate goal: SDG 13
EPI by: Yale and Columbia
Current affairs link: EPI and SDG India Index
Common errors: confusing SDG 14 and SDG 15

As an analytical point, the SDGs set a shared agenda but depend on voluntary action, so indices are important tools for accountability. However, rankings rest on methodology choices, so they should guide questions rather than end debate.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Goals 17
Env goals 6 to 15
Tools Indices

What Came Next?

The next topic covers the Stockholm Conference of 1972. Next topic: United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm Conference, 1972).

Key People and Terms

SDG Sustainable Development Goal
EPI Environmental Performance Index
HLPF High-level Political Forum
VNR Voluntary National Review
CCPI Climate Change Performance Index
MDG Millennium Development Goal

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

SDGs adopted 2015.
17 goals, 169 targets.
SDG 13: climate action.
EPI by Yale and Columbia.
India’s index by NITI Aayog.

Do Not Confuse With

SDG 14 and SDG 15 Life below water versus life on land
EPI and HDI Environment index versus human development index
MDGs and SDGs Eight goals to 2015 versus 17 goals to 2030

Memory Hook

Seventeen goals by thirty; thirteen is climate, fourteen is sea, fifteen is land.

Mains Angle

Questions ask for goal numbers and indices. These points help.

Framework SDGs
Indices EPI, CCPI
India NITI index

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Discuss the environmental dimensions of the Sustainable Development Goals and the indices used to measure environmental performance.”

How to Answer

SDGs 17 goals.
Env goals 6 to 15.
Indices EPI, CCPI.
India SDG Index.

GS Relevance

Prelims: SDG numbers, indices, India ranks. GS Paper 2 and 3: sustainable development and indicators.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Sustainable Development Goals?

The Sustainable Development Goals are 17 goals with 169 targets adopted by all UN member states in September 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They cover poverty, hunger, health, education, gender equality, water, energy, jobs, inequality, cities, consumption, climate, oceans, land, peace and partnerships, and are to be achieved by 2030.

Which SDGs are related to the environment?

Several goals have strong environmental content: SDG 6 on water and sanitation, SDG 7 on clean energy, SDG 11 on sustainable cities, SDG 12 on responsible consumption and production, SDG 13 on climate action, SDG 14 on life below water and SDG 15 on life on land. In practice, all goals depend on healthy ecosystems.

What is the Environmental Performance Index?

The Environmental Performance Index is a ranking of countries on environmental health and ecosystem vitality, produced every two years by researchers at Yale and Columbia universities using about 40 indicators on climate, air quality, water, biodiversity and waste. India ranked last among 180 countries in 2022 and 176th in 2024, and the government has questioned the methodology.

What is the SDG India Index?

The SDG India Index is a composite index prepared by NITI Aayog to track the progress of states and union territories on the SDGs using national indicators. The composite score for India improved from 66 in 2020-21 to 71 in 2023-24, with Kerala and Uttarakhand among the top performers, and it helps states compare and plan.

What is the Climate Change Performance Index?

The Climate Change Performance Index is published annually by Germanwatch, the NewClimate Institute and Climate Action Network. It ranks about 60 major emitting countries on greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy, energy use and climate policy. India has featured among the top ten performers in recent editions, partly due to its low per capita emissions.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 The SDGs were adopted in 2015.

True

With 17 goals.

2 SDG 13 deals with life on land.

False

It deals with climate action.

3 The EPI is produced by Yale and Columbia universities.