Malta climbs 12 places in UN Sustainable Development rankings

Malta has risen 12 places to 24th out of 167 countries in the 2025 Sustainable Development Report, published by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN).

With a score of 79.3%, Malta sits among the top 15% of nations assessed for their progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The country ranked 36th in the 2024 edition.

Environment Minister Miriam Dalli welcomed the news, describing the improvement as a sign of the government’s effective long-term investment. “It confirms our commitment to sustainable development, leading to a better quality of life for citizens,” she said.

The report highlights Malta’s advances in multiple sectors despite the challenges of limited natural resources, climate vulnerability, and geographic isolation.

Among the key contributing factors to Malta’s improved ranking were continued government subsidies that kept energy bills stable and increased investment in renewable energy.

Other factors include ongoing modernisation of the electricity distribution system to manage rising temperatures, improvements in the water sector to ensure nationwide access to high-quality tap water and substantial investment in waste management, promoting a circular economy model.

Francine Pace Caruana, Director of the Directorate for Sustainable Development, said Malta is also preparing to present its Second Voluntary National Review at the United Nations High-Level Political Forum in New York in the coming weeks.

“This report was developed with the input of all ministries and entities, civil society, the private sector, academia and citizens. We focused on the progress achieved, while identifying those areas on which we will continue to focus to see further improvements in the social, economic and environmental sector,” she said.