Better than thought? A comparison of the real and perceived performance of the 2030 Agenda in seven European countries

This cross-national comparative study examines the critical gap between governments’ actual performance and citizen perception thereof when it comes to sustainability efforts related to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. While previous research has typically focused on individual governments, there is limited comparative work exploring cross-national public perceptions. Drawing on citizen evaluation survey data from seven European countries (N = 7500 participants, approximately 1000 per country), this research analyzes the disparity between objective public management achievements and perceived performance across the economic, social, and environmental domains. Our findings show that “frustration” is the predominant sentiment in most countries when actual government performance related to the 2030 Agenda is compared with citizens’ perceptions thereof. This discrepancy indicates that governments’ performance is often better than citizens perceive it to be, suggesting positive efforts are not being effectively communicated, with citizens undervaluing actual progress. These results underscore the strategic importance of public relations. Effective communication is essential for bridging perception gaps, making intangible contributions more visible and understandable, and fostering the public trust and engagement that are essential for advancing the 2030 Agenda. • Public relations is key to bridging gaps and fostering citizen engagement. • Citizens perceive social performance as weak even when real outcomes are acceptable • Finland leads in aligning actual SDG performance and perceived SDG performance • Communication gaps cause government sustainability efforts to be undervalued.