Sustainable Development in Lithuania

Sustainable Development Goals

On 25 September 2015, world leaders meeting at the United Nations Summit in New York adopted Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Agenda sets out 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 associated targets covering a broad range of policy areas. The Goals are intended to be achieved by 2030.

Key milestones in sustainable development policy:

1992: Rio Declaration and Agenda 21. The Rio Declaration established the main principles of sustainable development, while Agenda 21 provided a global action plan for putting them into practice.

2001: EU Sustainable Development Strategy. The strategy set out the European Union’s approach to integrating sustainable development into its policies and actions.

2002: Johannesburg Declaration and Plan of Implementation. Countries renewed their international commitments and agreed on further measures to implement sustainable development.

2003: Lithuania’s National Strategy for Sustainable Development. The strategy established Lithuania’s national sustainable development priorities, objectives and tasks.

2012: Rio+20 outcome document, The Future We Want. Countries reaffirmed their commitments, strengthened the international framework for sustainable development and launched preparations for a new global development agenda.

2015: United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Agenda established 17 universal, interconnected Sustainable Development Goals covering social, economic and environmental policy.

2018: Lithuania’s first Voluntary National Review. Lithuania presented its progress in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals at the United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.

2023: Lithuania’s second Voluntary National Review. The review assessed the country’s progress in implementing the Goals between 2018 and 2023.

Main elements of the 2030 Agenda

The Sustainable Development Goals apply to both developed and developing countries. They cover the three interconnected dimensions of sustainable development: economic development, social well-being and environmental protection.

A central principle of the 2030 Agenda is to leave no one behind. Progress must reach all countries and all groups in society, particularly those facing the greatest vulnerability or exclusion.

The Agenda consists of 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets. Progress is measured through a global framework currently comprising 234 unique indicators, supplemented by regional and national indicators.

The preamble to the Agenda identifies five areas that guide its implementation: people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership, commonly referred to as the five Ps.

Implementation is monitored at national, regional and global levels. At the global level, progress is reviewed by the United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. Countries may present Voluntary National Reviews describing their achievements, challenges and planned measures.

Coordination and implementation in Lithuania

The National Commission on Sustainable Development was established in 2000 during the preparation of Lithuania’s National Strategy for Sustainable Development. Following the adoption of the Strategy in 2003, the Commission became the main body responsible for coordinating sustainable development activities and submitting proposals on national policy.

The Commission is chaired by the Prime Minister. Its members include ministers and representatives of non-governmental organisations, businesses, business associations and academic institutions, helping to integrate environmental, economic and social perspectives into policy development.

Lithuania implements the 2030 Agenda through two complementary areas of activity:

• implementing the Sustainable Development Goals within Lithuania;

• supporting their implementation in partner countries through development cooperation.

Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in Lithuania

All ministries are responsible for implementing the 2030 Agenda within their respective areas of competence. The Ministry of Environment coordinates its implementation at national level, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinates activities related to development cooperation.

The Sustainable Development Goals are also integrated into Lithuania’s strategic planning framework. The 2021-2030 National Progress Plan applies sustainable development as a horizontal principle and links national objectives and progress measures with the relevant Goals and targets.

Information on Lithuania’s progress is published on the Sustainable Development Goals portal managed by the State Data Agency. The portal provides national indicators and data used to monitor progress towards the Goals.

Development cooperation

After joining the European Union in 2004, Lithuania became part of the international donor community and committed to providing official development assistance.

Lithuania’s current approach is set out in the Strategic Guidelines for Lithuania’s International Partnerships for 2026-2030. The Guidelines focus on building equitable and mutually beneficial partnerships and strengthening the long-term resilience of partner countries.

Five interconnected priorities guide Lithuania’s international partnerships:

• democratic resilience;

• social resilience;

• digital resilience;

• environmental and climate resilience;

• economic resilience.

Ukraine remains Lithuania’s main priority. Lithuania also works with Moldova, Armenia and other partner countries and continues to support civil society in Belarus and Georgia. Cooperation may also involve countries in the Indo-Pacific region, Africa, the Middle East and other regions where Lithuania’s experience and expertise can provide added value.

Lithuania has committed to allocating at least 0.33 per cent of its gross national income to official development assistance by 2030. In 2024, Lithuania provided EUR 182.04 million in official development assistance, equivalent to 0.24 per cent of gross national income.

Lithuania supports partner countries through bilateral projects, contributions to the European Union and international organisations, humanitarian assistance and initiatives implemented with public institutions, civil society organisations and businesses. Its experience is particularly relevant in areas such as democratic governance, institutional reform, digitalisation, education, energy efficiency, environmental protection and climate resilience.