The Sustainable Governance Indicators project aims to facilitate transitions towards sustainable governance models that foster well-being within planetary boundaries, and promote effective, accountable and inclusive state institutions To achieve this, the project developed a comprehensive monitoring instrument to evaluate the sustainability of policymaking and the quality of democratic governance in the areas of economic, social and environmental policy across 30 OECD and EU countries. In addition, SGI Deep Dives identify promising governance innovations that are essential for successful transformation.
To answer this question, 41 countries of the OECD and the EU are assessed and compared based on quantitative and qualitative indicators. The qualitative assessment is carried out by more than 100 international experts from the academic community. These country reports result from a multiphase process of survey and validation. This allows successful examples of sustainable governance and corresponding policy and governance achievements to be identified.
First launched in 2009, SGI underwent a significant methodological revision for its 2024 edition. This updated approach enriches the scope of topics covered, though the number of assessed countries decreased to 30. Due to these methodological changes, results from 2009–2022 are not directly comparable with those of the 2024 edition. Variables from the 2024 edition are marked with a "24" suffix.
Last updated by source: 2024-12-17
| Dataset type: | Time-Series |
| Dataset level: | Country |
(Schiller & Hellmann,
2024)
Consensus-Building category examines the extent to which the government involves relevant experts and societal actors in the early stages of policy development and effectively informs them about its policies. It assesses three equally weighted components: Recourse to Scientific Knowledge (33.33%), Involvement of Civil Society in Policy Development (33.33%), and Openness of Government (33.33%).
More about this variableCoordination dimension examines the extent to which the government institutionalizes coordination mechanisms during policy formulation and implementation to facilitate proactive problem-solving. It assesses two equally weighted components: Quality of Horizontal Coordination (50%) and Quality of Vertical Coordination (50%).
More about this variableDiagonal Accountability category focuses on the strength and effectiveness of non-state actors outside formal political institutions in their efforts to hold the government accountable. Various indicators monitor the following criteria and associated questions: (1) Media freedom and pluralism: To what extent can the media operate independently, and is there ensured diversity of opinions? (2) Strength of civil society: To what extent can citizens join independent political and civil society groups, openly address political issues, and assemble without restrictions? To what extent are civil society organizations able to actively participate in shaping relevant policies?
More about this variableDemocratic Government dimension examines the extent to which governments are held accountable to their citizens, both in terms of preventing unlawful behavior and enabling the assessment of policy performance. Effective accountability is demonstrated by the commitment of those in power to provide information and be answerable for their actions, as well as the ability of citizens or oversight institutions to enforce accountability through sanctions for violations. To ensure effective government accountability, mechanisms of vertical, horizontal, and diagonal accountability are necessary. We evaluate the quality of these mechanisms through our categories of “Vertical Accountability,” “Diagonal Accountability,” and “Horizontal Accountability.”
More about this variableThe Economic Policies category score assesses whether economic policies effectively address sustainability challenges in key areas, including Economy, Labor Market, Taxes, Budgets, Research and Innovation, and the Global Financial System.
More about this variableThe Budget subpillar of the Economic Policies category evaluates the fiscal sustainability of budgetary policies, examining whether the budget is consolidated and the national debt is manageable. It assesses key indicators, including Debt to GDP, Primary Balance, Gross Interest Payments, Budget Consolidation, Debt per Child, and External Debt to GDP, to determine the long-term viability of fiscal policies.
More about this variableThe Economy subpillar of the Economic Policies category evaluates whether economic policies provide a reliable framework and foster competitiveness. It assesses key indicators, including Economic Policy, GDP per Capita, Inflation, Gross Fixed Capital Formation, Real Interest Rates, Potential Output Growth Rate, and Real GDP Growth Rate, to measure economic stability and growth potential.
More about this variableThe Global Financial System subpillar of the Economic Policies category evaluates the government’s role in actively contributing to the effective regulation and supervision of the global financial system. It examines key indicators such as Stabilizing the Global Financial System, Tier 1 Capital Ratio, Banks’ Nonperforming Loans, Financial Secrecy Score, and External Debt to Exports, focusing on ensuring financial stability and resilience.
More about this variableThe Labor Market subpillar of the Economic Policies category evaluates whether labor market policies effectively address unemployment and maintain balanced, successful regulation. It assesses key indicators, including Labor Market Policy, Unemployment, Long-term Unemployment, Youth Unemployment, Low-skilled Unemployment, Employment, Low Pay Incidence, Employment Rates by Gender, and Involuntary Part-time Employment, to ensure inclusivity and stability in the labor market.
More about this variableThe Research, Innovation, and Infrastructure subpillar of the Economic Policies category evaluates whether R&D policy supports technological innovation and fosters the introduction of new products. It assesses key indicators, including R&I Policy, Public R&D Spending, Private R&D Spending, Total Researchers, Intellectual Property Licenses, PCT Patent Applications, and Quality of Overall Infrastructure, to measure progress in innovation and infrastructure development.
More about this variableThe Taxes subpillar of the Economic Policies category evaluates whether tax policies achieve the goals of equity, competitiveness, and the generation of sufficient public revenues. It assesses key indicators, including Tax Policy, Tax System Complexity, Structural Balance, Statutory Corporate Tax Rate, Redistribution Effect, and Maximum Personal Income Tax Rate, to ensure fiscal effectiveness and fairness.
More about this variableThe Environment category assesses whether environmental policies effectively address sustainability issues. It consists of two equally weighted components: the Environment Index and the Global Environmental Protection Index. The variable ranges between 0 and 10, reflecting the effectiveness of policies in promoting environmental sustainability.
More about this variableThe Environment index consists of the "Environmental Policy" indicator (50%), based on expert assessments of environmental policy effectiveness, and nine indicators related to observable environmental performance, including Energy Productivity (5,56%), Greenhouse Gas Emissions (5,56%), Particulate Matter (5,56%), Biocapacity (5,56%), Waste Generation (5,56%), Material Recycling (5,56%), Biodiversity (5,56%), Renewable Energy (5,56%), and Material footprint (5,56%). The index varies from 0 to 10.
More about this variableThe Global Environmental Protection index consists of "Global Environmental Policy Indicator" (50%), based on expert assessments of countries' participation in global environmental protection regimes, the rate of participation in Multilateral Environmental Agreements (25%), and Kyoto Participation and Achievements indicator, measuring to what extent the Kyoto emission reduction targets were met (25%). The index varies from 0 to 10.
More about this variableEnvironmental Sustainability category examines the extent to which the government aligns different areas of environmental policy with sustainability requirements. It assesses four equally weighted components: Effective Climate Action, Effective Environmental Health Protection, Effective Ecosystem and Biodiversity Preservation, and Effective Contributions to Global Environmental Protection.
More about this variableThe indicator measures how effectively a national environmental policy protects and preserves the sustainability of natural resources and the quality of the environment. Effective environmental policies will help promote and incentivize goal-driven technological progress and environmentally friendly behavior and ensure sufficient resources are allocated for implementation. In assessing the effectiveness of environmental policies, the experts were invited to draw on the following guiding questions: 1. Are environmental policy goals ambitious (i.e., do they target more than improvements to efficiency)? 2. Are environmental policies implemented with tangible impact? 3. Are environmental concerns integrated effectively across relevant policy sectors (i.e., energy, housing, transport, manufacturing industry, research and innovation, tourism, fisheries, agriculture)? As environmental performance may be issue-specific, the experts were invited to provide a short paragraph for each of the four key targets of protection: resource use (land, water, materials, energy), environmental pollution (water, air, soil), climate and biodiversity protection." The indicator is based on expert answers to these questions and varies from 0 to 10, where 0-1 is "Environmental concerns have been largely abandoned" and 9-10 is "Environmental policy goals are ambitious and effectively implemented as well as monitored within and across most relevant policy sectors that account for the largest share of resource use and emissions".
More about this variableEconomic Sustainability category examines the extent to which the government aligns different areas of economic policy with sustainability requirements. It assesses eight equally weighted components: Circular Economy, Viable Critical Infrastructure, Decarbonized Energy System, Adaptive Labor Markets, Sustainable Taxation, Sustainable Budgeting, Sustainability-oriented Research and Innovation, and Stable Global Financial System.
More about this variableThe indicator measures the extent to which governments actively contribute to the design and advancement of global environmental protection regimes. Protecting the climate and preserving natural resources worldwide depends on effective collective action carried out on a global level. Examples of active contribution include demonstrating initiative and responsibility, acting as an agenda-setter within international frameworks, and/or achieving an alignment of purpose among conflicting interests in international negotiations. The experts were invited to provide a paragraph addressing the following three aspects: 1. Which issues are treated as global common goods rather than domestic environmental problems (e.g., chemical pollution, biodiversity conservation, forest protection, climate protection, etc.)? 2. Which of these global issues or goals does the government address, and has it formulated and implemented action plans targeting these goals? 3. Are countries targeting the preservation of global common goods by contributing funds either through international facilities or official development assistance?" The indicator is based on the expert answers to these questions and varies from 0 to 10, where 1-2 is "The government does not contribute to international efforts to strengthen global environmental protection regimes," and 9-10 is "The government actively contributes to international efforts to design and advance global environmental protection regimes. In most cases, it demonstrates commitment to existing regimes, contributes to their being advanced and has introduced appropriate reforms".
More about this variableThis pillar of the SGI examines the good governance capacities of a political system in terms of its executive capability and accountability. Sustainable governance is defined here as the political management of public affairs that adopts a long-term view of societal development, takes into account the interests of future generations, and facilitates capacities for social change. The Governance index examines how effective governments are in directing and implementing policies appropriate to these three goals. As a measuring tool grounded in practical evidence, the Governance index draws on 37 qualitative indicators posed in an expert survey that measure a country's institutional arrangements against benchmarks of good practices in governance. Governance in this context implies both the capacity to act (''executive capacity'') and the extent to which non-governmental actors and institutions are endowed with the participatory competence to hold the government accountable to its actions (''executive accountability''). This includes citizens, legislatures, parties, associations and the media, that is, actors that monitor the government's activities and whose effective inclusion in the political process improve the quality of governance. The dimension of Executive Capacity draws on the categories of steering capability, policy implementation and institutional learning. Steering capability questions explore the roles of strategic planning and expert advice, the effectiveness of interministerial coordination and regulatory impact assessments, and the quality of consultation and communication policies. Questions about implementation assess the government's ability to ensure effective and efficient task delegation to ministers, agencies or subnational governments. Questions on institutional learning refer to a government's ability to reform its own institutional arrangements and improve its strategic orientation. The dimension of Executive Accountability is comprised of three categories corresponding to actors or groups of actors considered to be important agents of oversight and accountability in theories of democracy and governance. The questions here are designed to examine the extent to which citizens are informed of government policies, whether the legislature is capable of evaluating and acting as a ''check'' on the executive branch, and whether intermediary organizations (i.e., media, parties, interest associations) demonstrate relevance and policy know-how in exercising oversight. This approach is based on a dynamic understanding of governance in which power and authority is dispersed throughout the institutions, processes and structures of government. In order to account for the diversity of institutional arrangements, the index explicitly considers functional equivalencies in different countries, and pays equal attention to formal and informal as well as hierarchical and non-hierarchical institutional arrangements.
More about this variableThe Executive Accountability subpillar of the Good Governance category evaluates whether non-governmental actors are effectively involved in policy-making. It assesses key indicators, including Citizens’ Participatory Competence, Legislative Actors’ Resources, Media, Parties and Interest Associations, and Independent Supervisory Bodies, to measure the inclusivity and transparency of governance processes.
More about this variableThe Executive Capacity subpillar of the Good Governance category evaluates whether the government demonstrates strong steering capabilities. It assesses key indicators, including Strategic Capacity, Interministerial Coordination, Evidence-based Instruments, Societal Consultation, Policy Communication, Implementation, Adaptability, and Organizational Reform, to measure the government’s ability to design, implement, and adapt policies effectively.
More about this variableGoverning with Foresight dimension analyzes the extent to which internal government instruments, processes, and structures enable anticipatory governance. It assesses key components, including Coordination, Consensus-Building, and Sensemaking, each weighted equally at 33.33%.
More about this variableHorizontal Accountability examines the relationship between the executive branch and other state institutions as well as the extent to which other state institutions can hold the government accountable, particularly in terms of demanding information and addressing inappropriate behavior. Various indicators monitor the following criteria and associated questions: (1) Effectiveness of independent oversight bodies: To what extent are independent oversight bodies such as the audit office or the data protection authority able to exercise effective oversight? (2) Rule of law: To what extent can an independent judiciary ensure that the government, administration, and legislature act in accordance with the constitution and laws, respect and defend fundamental rights? To what extent are public officials prevented from abusing their positions for private interests, and are precautionary measures in place to prevent such abuses? (3) Effectiveness of legislative oversight: To what extent do members of the legislature have sufficient personnel and structural resources to effectively control the government? Are legislative committees capable of practically monitoring the government’s activities and do they have the power to investigate unconstitutional or illegal activities of the executive? To what extent are the organization and functioning of legislative committees effective in drafting legislative proposals?
More about this variableThis pillar of the SGI examines each country's policy performance in terms of three dimensions of sustainable development. If the goal of politics is to promote sustainable development, and if citizens are to be empowered to live their lives in accordance with their own individual talents, then governments must be able to establish and maintain the social, economic and environmental conditions for such well-being and empowerment. The conditions for social progress must be generated by suitable outcomes in certain policy fields. Such outcomes are examined by the Policy Performance pillar, which is comprised of 16 policy fields grouped in terms of economic, social and environmental sustainability. Each policy field is addressed by a qualitative assessment and additional quantitative data. The point here is to examine domestic policymaking as well as the extent to which governments actively contribute to the provision of global public goods. The areas examined are: 1. Economic Policies: economy, labor markets, taxes, budgets, research and innovation, global financial system. 2. Social Policies: education, social inclusion, health, families, pensions, integration policy, safe living conditions, global inequalities. 3. Environmental Policies: environment policy, global environmental protection.
More about this variableThis pillar of the SGI examines the quality of democracy in each country. From the perspective of long-term system stability and political performance, the quality of democracy and political participation are crucial aspects of a society's success. The stability and performance of a political system depends in large part upon the assent and confidence of its citizens. Democratic participation and oversight are also essential to genuine learning and adaptation processes, and to the ability to change. In this sense, guaranteeing opportunities for democratic participation and oversight, as well as the presence of due process and respect for civil rights, are fundamental prerequisites for the legitimacy of a political system. The quality of democracy in each country is measured against a definitional norm that considers issues relating to participation rights, electoral competition, access to information and the rule of law. Given that all OECD and EU member states constitute democracies, the questions posed here focus on the quality rather than the presence of democracy. Individual indicators monitor the following criteria: 1. Electoral processes. 2. Access to information. 3. Civil rights and political liberties. 4. Rule of law.
More about this variableThe Access to Information subpillar of the Robust Democracy category evaluates whether media are independent and express a diversity of opinions, and whether government information is accessible. It assesses key indicators, including Media Freedom, Media Pluralism, and Access to Government Information, to measure transparency and the openness of public discourse.
More about this variableThe Civil Rights and Political Liberties subpillar of the Robust Democracy category evaluates whether civil rights and political liberties are respected and whether effective protections against discrimination are in place. It assesses key indicators, including Civil Rights, Political Liberties, and Non-discrimination, to measure the strength of democratic freedoms and equality.
More about this variableThe Electoral Process subpillar of the Robust Democracy category evaluates whether candidacy procedures and media access are fair, and whether voting and registration rights are guaranteed. It assesses key indicators, including Candidacy Procedures, Media Access, Voting and Registration Rights, Party Financing, and Popular Decision-making, to measure the fairness and inclusivity of electoral processes.
More about this variableThe Rule of Law subpillar of the Robust Democracy category evaluates whether institutions act in accordance with the law, effectively check and balance each other, and prevent corruption. It assesses key indicators, including Legal Certainty, Judicial Review, Appointment of Justices, and Corruption Prevention, to measure the integrity and accountability of the legal and institutional framework.
More about this variableRobust Democracy: Rule of Law - Corruption Prevention. To what extent are public officeholders prevented from abusing their position for private interests? This question addresses how the state and society prevent public servants and politicians from accepting bribes by applying mechanisms to guarantee the integrity of officeholders: auditing of state spending; regulation of party financing; citizen and media access to information; accountability of officeholders (asset declarations, conflict of interest rules, codes of conduct); transparent public procurement systems; effective prosecution of corruption. (1, 2): Public officeholders can exploit their offices for private gain as they see fit without fear of legal consequences or adverse publicity. (3, 4, 5): Some integrity mechanisms function, but do not effectively prevent public officeholders from abusing their positions. (6, 7, 8): Most integrity mechanisms function effectively and provide disincentives for public officeholders willing to abuse their positions. (9, 10): Legal, political and public integrity mechanisms effectively prevent public officeholders from abusing their positions.
More about this variableSensemaking category examines the extent to which the government advances internal processes and structures to enhance its capacity for preparedness and analysis. It assesses two equally weighted components: Preparedness (50%) and Analytical Competence (50%).
More about this variableThe Social Policies category evaluates whether social policies facilitate an equal and fair society. It assesses key areas, including Education, Social Inclusion, Health, Families, Pensions, Integration, Safe Living, and Global Inequalities, to measure the effectiveness of policies in promoting social equity and well-being.
More about this variableThe Education subpillar of the Social Policies category evaluates whether education policy delivers high-quality, equitable education and training. It assesses key indicators, including Education Policy, Upper Secondary Attainment, Tertiary Attainment, PISA Results, PISA Socioeconomic Background, Pre-primary Expenditure, PISA Low Achievers in all Subjects, and Educational Attainment by Gender, to measure the effectiveness and fairness of education systems.
More about this variableThe Families subpillar of the Social Policies category evaluates whether family policies maximize opportunities for both parents and provide robust support and child care services. It assesses key indicators, including Family Policy, Child Care Enrolment (Ages 0–2 and 3–5), Fertility Rate, Child Poverty Rate, and Female Labor Force Participation Rate, to measure the effectiveness of family support systems.
More about this variableThe Global Inequalities subpillar of the Social Policies category evaluates whether the government addresses global social inequalities and actively participates in global frameworks. It assesses key indicators, including Global Social Policy and Official Development Assistance (ODA), to measure the government's commitment to promoting equity and cooperation on an international scale.
More about this variableThe Health subpillar of the Social Policies category evaluates whether policies provide high-quality, inclusive, and cost-efficient health care. It assesses key indicators, including Health Policy, Spending on Preventive Health, Healthy Life Expectancy, Infant Mortality, Perceived Health Status, Household Out-of-Pocket Expenses, and Physicians per 1,000 Inhabitants, to measure the effectiveness and accessibility of health care systems.
More about this variableThe Integration Policy subpillar of the Social Policies category evaluates whether cultural, educational, and social policies actively facilitate the integration of migrant communities. It assesses key indicators, including Integration Policy, Foreign-born to Native Upper Secondary Attainment, Foreign-born to Native Tertiary Attainment, Foreign-born to Native Unemployment, and Foreign-born to Native Employment, to measure the effectiveness of integration efforts.
More about this variableThe Pensions subpillar of the Social Policies category evaluates whether pension systems are designed to achieve fiscal sustainability and promote intergenerational equity. It assesses key indicators, including Pension Policy, Older Employment, Old Age Dependency Ratio, and Senior Citizen Poverty, to measure the effectiveness and fairness of pension systems in supporting the aging population.
More about this variableThe Social Inclusion subpillar of the Social Policies category evaluates whether welfare policies foster equal opportunity in society and prevent poverty. It assesses key indicators, including Social Inclusion Policy, Poverty Rate, NEET Rate, Gini Coefficient, Gender Equality in Parliaments, Life Satisfaction, and Gender Wage Gap, to measure the effectiveness of policies in promoting social equity and well-being.
More about this variableThe Global Inequalities subpillar of the Social Policies category evaluates whether internal security policies protect citizens against crime and foster confidence in the police force. It assesses key indicators, including Internal Security Policy, Homicides, Personal Security, and Confidence in Police, to measure the effectiveness of policies in ensuring public safety and trust.
More about this variableSustainable Policymaking dimension analyzes the extent to which selected areas of economic, social, and environmental policy address the challenges of sustainability. It assesses three equally weighted components: Economic Sustainability (33.33%), Social Sustainability (33.33%), and Environmental Sustainability (33.33%).
More about this variableSocial Sustainability category examines the extent to which the government aligns different areas of social policy with sustainability requirements. It assesses eight equally weighted components: Sustainable Education System, Sustainable Institutions Supporting Basic Human Needs, Sustainable Health System, Gender Equality, Strong Families, Sustainable Pension System, Sustainable Inclusion of Migrants, and Effective Capacity-Building for Global Poverty Reduction.
More about this variableVertical Accountability category examines the relationship between the executive branch and citizens, and the extent to which the population can hold the government accountable. Various indicators monitor the following criteria and associated questions: (1) Quality of elections: To what extent are political competition and elections free and fair? (2) Quality of candidates and political parties: To what extent do political parties articulate all key societal interests and maintain their ability to facilitate cross-party collaboration in policy formulation and implementation? (3) Access to official information: To what extent do citizens have access to official information?
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