Population and inclusiveness

In general, higher levels of inclusive growth are associated with more economically advanced economies. Developed economies’ average overall score on inclusive growth is nearly double that of developing ones – some gaps are narrowing.

Developed economies like Luxembourg, Norway and Denmark continue to lead the overall index. Singapore and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are the only developing economies in the top 30. But a closer examination reveals strong performances by developing economies in different components.

For example, Singapore outperforms many developed economies in living conditions, scoring 97.1. Similarly, Chile, China, Thailand, the UAE and Uruguay all score above 80 – much closer to the developed economy median (89.3) than the Global South’s 46.4 median.

On equality, economies such as the UEA (91.4), Belarus (87.4), Azerbaijan (73.7) and China (71.4) are on par with the developed economy median (73.5), far exceeding the 37.4 median for developing economies.

Significant disparities remain also in environmental sustainability. Developed economies lead with the highest average scores, reflecting stronger environmental policies, better infrastructure, and more sustainable practices. However, their scores reveal a wide range of performance levels within the group.

But some developing economies, such as Singapore (66.5), Panama (54.4), and the Dominican Republic (52.3), are closing the gap with leading developed economies, including Ireland (71.1), Denmark (70.0), and the United Kingdom (68.0), demonstrating progress in energy efficiency and carbon management.

Developing economies show diverse progress in environmental sustainability, with regional differences reflecting varying challenges and opportunities. Africa, with the median of 40.2, has a wide range of performances, with some countries advancing while others struggle due to uneven policies and resource constraints. The developing Americas with 41.8 perform slightly better but still contend with limited investments in green infrastructure and high reliance on fossil fuels. Asia and Oceania (30.2) lags behind other regions, facing significant barriers to sustainability improvements. 
 

The index highlights the pressing challenge of breaking the link between economic growth and natural resource use and waste, with developed economies producing about twice as much waste per capita as developing ones. 

Luxembourg, for example, a front-runner in the economic pillar, produces an estimated 760 kilograms of waste per person each year, which amounts to over 2 kilograms daily. In contrast, least developed country Lao PDR generates around 50 kilograms per capita each year – a mere 0.15 kilograms per day, the weight of an apple. In general, least developed countries and small island developing states have the lowest per capita rates of waste.

Although higher economic output and denser populations generally create more waste, countries like Japan and South Korea show that effective management is possible.