Cherry‐Pickers and Followers in <scp>SDGs</scp> : The Case of Asian Countries

ABSTRACT Since the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted in 2015, many countries have pledged to pursue sustainable development, yet a phenomenon of “cherry‐picking” has emerged, whereby governments selectively emphasize goals and targets that fit their interests. This study provides empirical evidence of cherry‐picking among Asian countries by applying latent semantic analysis (LSA) to SDG‐related texts and using the resulting similarity scores in a cluster analysis. We identify six clusters of countries: four comprising cherry‐picker countries, one comprising follower countries that largely follow the UN SDG framework, and one unclassified cluster. Because such selectivity can undermine the integrated nature of the SDGs, we propose a two‐step policy approach: short‐term reforms that strengthen SDG evaluation and bring cherry‐picking and follower behavior explicitly into public debate, and longer‐term revisions of the global SDG framework beyond 2030 so that future agendas incorporate preparedness for unforeseen global shocks and better protect food security.