The Global Sustainable Competitiveness Index 2021
10th edition
The Global Sustainable Competitiveness Index 2021
The Global Sustainable Competitiveness Index (GSCI) measures national development and green growth since 2012, based on 131 quantitative indicators derived from recognized international organisations to present a comprehensive view of a nation’s potential. The Indicators are grouped into the five pillars of a nation-economy:
Natural Capital Index
The given natural environment
Resource Efficiency Index
Resource usage per capita and per economic output
Social Capital Index
Social cohesion, health, freedom, security, equality
Intellectual Capital & Innovation Index
education and innovation indicators
Governance Performance Index
Infrastructure, resource allocation, corruption, business and fiscal considerations
State of the World
The highest sustainable competitiveness score achieved in 2021 is 62, the global average Sustainable Competitiveness is 45: we are still far from a truly sustainable & competitive World.
A small majority of 53% of developments world-wide show positive trends, indicating that we can expect small, positive improvements in the future. However, a majority of developments in Natural Capital are deteriorating: unfortunately, we have to expect a further decline in the natural environment.
The Sustainable Competitiveness World Map
Take-Aways from the Global Sustainable Competitiveness Index 2021:
- Scandinavia continues to top the ranking: Sweden is leading the Sustainable Competitiveness Index, followed by all other Scandinavian nations. Only Switzerland on 3rd is breaking in.
- Only two countries in the Top 20 are not European: – Japan on 13, and New Zealand (14). South Korea follows on 21.
- China is ranked 32 – very strong in Intellectual Capital, but low on Natural Capital
- The USA is ranked 30, ranking particularly low in resource efficiency and social capital – potentially further undermining the global status of the US in the future
- Germany ranks 8, the UK 17. Brazil is 49, Russia 51, and India 130.
- Some of the least developed nations have a considerable higher GSCI ranking than their GDP would suggest (e.g. Nepal, Guyana, Laos, Belize, …)
- Asian nations (South Korea, Japan, Singapore, and China) lead the Intellectual Capital Index – the basis of innovation. However, achieving sustained prosperity is potentially compromised by Natural Capital constraints and increasing resource consumption.
- The Social Capital Index ranking is headed by Northern European (Scandinavian) countries, the result of economic growth combined with a widely accepted social consensus.
Read more, or download the Global Sustainable Competitiveness Report 2021
Individual Country Reports
Individual reports for more than 180 countries are available on the downloade page.
