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

The report evaluates the early stages of SDG implementation in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR), analyzing 11 countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, and Sweden. It finds that while the region performs well in areas like poverty reduction, renewable energy share, and corruption, it struggles significantly with domestic material consumption and energy intensity. Implementation is currently fragmented, with varying institutional responsibilities and a general reliance on existing administrative structures. The report emphasizes a critical need for improved monitoring systems and stronger political leadership at the parliamentary level to ensure the 2030 Agenda is integrated across all government sectors.

• The Baltic Sea Region (BSR) shows strong performance in several SDG targets, specifically regarding poverty rates, the share of renewable energy, air pollution, employment, and corruption.
• Domestic material consumption (DMC) is a consistent weakness across the BSR, with all analyzed countries ranking in the bottom half (between 14th and 34th) of the OECD sample.
• There is a paradoxical trend in energy performance: while the region achieves good results in the share of renewable energy, many countries struggle with high energy intensity rates.
• National implementation of the 2030 Agenda in the BSR is characterized by a lack of consensus on responsible authorities, with different governments entrusting different ministries.
• Most BSR countries intend to implement the SDGs using existing administrative structures and financial mechanisms to avoid duplication, which may limit the cross-sectoral coordination required for the goals.
• Monitoring and follow-up of the SDGs is identified as one of the primary challenges for all countries in the region, with many ranking poorly in their capacity to monitor these goals.
• Political leadership at the parliamentary level is generally weak in the BSR, with only the German Federal Parliament having a dedicated Parliamentary Advisory Council on Sustainable Development.

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} }