Malta has advanced 12 places and now ranks 24th out of 167 countries in the United Nations Sustainable Development Report 2025.
This report was issued by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) with Malta registering a score of 79.3%.
The international report marks a substantial improvement from the 2024 report, where Malta was in 36th place.
“It is satisfying to see the collective effort being made by the Government, leading to tangible, internationally recognised results. This means that the work we are doing and the efforts we are investing in are succeeding. It confirms our commitment to sustainable development, leading to a better quality of life for citizens,” the Minister for the Environment, Energy and Public Cleanliness Miriam Dalli said in a statement issued by her ministry.
Malta's climate, lack of natural resources and insularity as an island pose specific and continuous challenges, making the country more vulnerable to external factors.
However, the ministry said that the Government has continued to invest so that people can enjoy stable energy bills all while increasing investment in renewable energy; continued investment in the electricity distribution system, so that the country can cope with rising temperatures; and investments in the water sector so that Malta has the best quality of water throughout the whole country.
In the waste sector, investments in waste management are advancing our country's progress in the circular economy, where waste is treated as a valuable resource, it added.
“We are committed to continue addressing these challenges in order to achieve the goals Malta is facing as a Member of the United Nations. We will do this through continued policies and joint initiatives between the various ministries and entities,” Dalli said.
On her part, the Director of the Directorate for Sustainable Development, Francine Pace Caruana, explained how Malta is a few weeks away from presenting the Second Voluntary National Review (VNR) on Sustainable Development Goals, during the United Nations High Level Political Forum in New York.
“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 sectors,” Pace Caruana said.
This positive result coincided with a statement issued by the National Statistics Office which confirmed a continuous increase in the use of renewable energy in our country. Compared to 2023, power generation from photovoltaic panels increased by 5.8% in 2024.