REPORT On the preliminary implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in the Baltic Sea States

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute and the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) evaluates the preliminary implementation of the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across 11 countries in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR). It synthesizes data from OECD, UN ECE, and other expert reviews to identify regional strengths, weaknesses, and organizational challenges in governance and monitoring.

• The Baltic Sea Region (BSR) shows strong performance in several SDG areas, specifically regarding poverty rates, the share of renewable energy, air pollution, ocean health, and corruption indices.
• Domestic material consumption (DMC) is a critical regional weakness, with all BSR countries ranking poorly (between 14th and 34th) among 34 OECD countries. Norway and Finland specifically show high consumption at 35.6 and 34.3 tons per capita, respectively.
• The region exhibits a paradoxical relationship with energy: while it performs well in the share of renewable energy, many countries struggle with high energy intensity rates.
• Monitoring and data collection for the SDGs represent a primary challenge for all BSR countries. None of the countries ranked in the top five for the capacity to monitor SDGs, with four appearing in the bottom 13 of 34 OECD nations.
• National implementation strategies in the BSR are largely based on existing administrative structures and budgets to avoid duplication, though there is no common consensus on which specific ministries should hold responsibility.
• Stakeholder engagement is diversified; while NGOs and civil society are frequently involved, engagement at the sub-regional and local levels is less acknowledged.

APA

Peterson, K., & Zuin, O. (2016). REPORT On the preliminary implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in the Baltic Sea States. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/4664.pdf

Chicago

Peterson, Kaja, and Olga Zuin. REPORT On the preliminary implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in the Baltic Sea States. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2016. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/4664.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Peterson |first1=Kaja |last2=Zuin |first2=Olga |title=REPORT On the preliminary implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in the Baltic Sea States |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=November 2016 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/4664.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{peterson2016report, author = {Peterson, Kaja and Zuin, Olga}, title = {{REPORT On the preliminary implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in the Baltic Sea States}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2016}, month = nov, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/4664.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }