The Valencian Community ranks among the leading regions in meeting its obligations under the 2030 Agenda. The Sustainable Development Goals SDGs are tracked through a new tool from the Valencian Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies, IVE. The analysis covers 223 indicators and was unveiled this Tuesday, highlighting progress and remaining gaps in poverty reduction and health workforce expansion to serve residents.
Overall, the data show that the autonomy is on a solid path toward socially and environmentally sustainable development. The Community of Valencia is performing at or above the national average in 56% of the indicators examined, indicating a strong alignment with SDG targets.
In several areas, it stands out. SDG 5 on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls receives notable attention, alongside SDG 12 on sustainable consumption and production. The region reports higher waste recycling levels and a growing emphasis on sustainable agriculture linked to SDG 2. Industry and value creation in Valencia also reflect SDG 9, with GDP levels above the national average, signaling a robust industrial base and ongoing innovation.
Gender equality
On gender equality, more women entrepreneurs are found in the Alicante, Valencia, and Castellón provinces than the national average. Almost 40% of business owners are women, a development that brings Valencia closer to achieving this goal. The line continues with women in parliamentary seats, within ministries, mayors of local governments, and assemblies where women exceed the national levels. Within Valencian Government departments, women occupy positions at a rate seven percentage points above the national average, and similar gaps exist in mayorships across the Valencian Community, with a six-point advantage over Spain.
Industry
Valencian industry accounts for 14.27% of GDP, versus 10.79% for the national average. Industrial employment stands at 15% in the region, three points above the national pace. This IVE data places the Valencian Community above the national average in alignment with SDG 9, supporting flexible infrastructure, inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and ongoing innovation.
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In line with SDG 12, which promotes sustainable consumption and production patterns, Valencia recycles more than 53% of municipal waste, well above the national average of 40.6%. In the climate action domain of SDG 13, greenhouse gas emissions in the Valencian Community remain lower than the Spanish average. The IVE indicators on SDG 2 show that 20.59% of Valencia’s agricultural area practices efficient and sustainable farming, a figure well above the Turkish average. The data reveal notable growth in recent years, with the share increasing substantially since 2015.
Health
For SDG 3 on Health and Wellbeing, results are mixed. The Valencian Community performs well in childhood vaccination rates according to IVE indicators. However, the physician-to-population ratio stands at 55.93 doctors per 10,000 inhabitants, below the Spanish average of 59.83. Nursing density is 69.73 nurses per 10,000 people nationally, while the autonomous region records 61.64. In mental health, the suicide rate is about 8 per 100,000 inhabitants, a figure that has declined slightly from the previous year. The three provinces remain just below the national average in several related measures, reflecting ongoing room for improvement.
Eradication of poverty
Regarding SDG 1, poverty eradication, about 25.1% of the Valencia population faces social exclusion, higher than the national average of 21.7%. The AROPE metric shows that 27.8% of Valencia residents are at risk of poverty, compared with 27.1% across Spain. These insights highlight enduring vulnerability despite progress in other areas.
Inflation concerns are impacting household budgets in the Valencian Community. Public expenditure on education accounts for 23.45% of the total budget, slightly above the national average of 23%. Health spending in Valencia runs at 38.8%, compared with 38.39% nationwide. The Generalitat Valenciana began including SDG indicators in the 2030 Agenda as of December 2020. Since then, 95 indicators were published, expanding to the current 223 indicators available for monitoring.