Mar 24, 2023
By: Srishti MaganDigital travel platform Agoda conducted a Sustainable Impact Survey where over 13,000 respondents in 11 countries ranked nations on their sustainability and conservation efforts. India secured a place in the top 10, beating Vietnam, the Philippines and Cambodia.
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India ranked ninth on Agoda’s list. To achieve its sustainable goals, India partnered with Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and others. It ranks 121 on the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Index 2022.
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“Sustainability is clearly on peoples’ minds, with many aware of the environmental measures being taken in their home markets as well abroad,” said Enric Casals, regional vice-president, Southeast Asia and Oceania, Agoda. Here’s a look at the top five countries on Agoda’s list:
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Ranked first, the land of the rising sun balances rapid growth with sustainable efforts in all spheres - from travel to hospitality, architecture, and even rapid industrialisation. The SDG index 2022 placed Japan in the 19th position.
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Singapore, which aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, adopted Singapore Green Plan 2030 in 2021 to promote sustainable development. As per the plan, Singapore aims to plant 1 million more trees and reduce landfill waste by 30 percent by 2030, among other efforts.
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Japan was followed by two of the four Asian Tigers (developed East Asian economies) – Singapore and South Korea. South Korea ranks 27th on the SDG Index and is on track to achieving its goal of clean water and sanitation.
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The land down under has a diverse landscape, ranging from dense tropical forests to mountain ranges and expansive deserts. Ranked fourth on Agoda’s survey, Australia has shown moderate improvement on 11 of its 17 sustainable development goals, as per the SDG report 2022.
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Known for its pristine beaches, grand temples and island parties, Thailand is also highly vulnerable to climate change. In November 2022, Thailand announced its target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30‑40 percent by 2030.
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Taiwan’s rapid economic growth is often dubbed the Taiwan Miracle - but in the face of fast-paced industrialisation, it formulated goals for sustainable development, landing sixth in Agoda’s survey, followed by Indonesia and Malaysia. Vietnam is tenth on the list.
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