SDG-oriented sustainability assessment for Central and Eastern European countries

Sustainability assessment is informative for both policy-making and public communication. This study aims to evaluate and compare the sustainability of the Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, a region of great geopolitical significance that has not yet received sufficient attention. An aggregate index in the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is constructed. The entropy weight method, equal weight method, and principal component analysis are used to ensure the reliability of the outcomes. The progress toward the SDGs across countries is further examined. The results show that the Balkan countries have a lower level of sustainability than other CEE countries, but they have a higher score on the progress index, reflecting their high potential for sustainable development. However, Serbia's sustainability performance and development potential are both poor. This study further discusses the relationship between sustainability levels and geopo-litical risks in CEE countries, where countries with high geopolitical risks have low sustainability. This study can stimulate awareness of sustainability in CEE countries and promote sustainable development policy as a top priority. The results have important practical implications for facilitating cooperation between CEE countries and other economies in sustainable development.