Research Information System
Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science , vol.10, no.4, pp.1-35, 2026 (Scopus)
This paper evaluates the performance of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their relevant sub-indicators in Türkiye, a country classified as upper-middle-income and exemplifies the middle-income trap phenomenon. In this context, methods that analyze the interactions between SDGs are applied, specifically in conjunction with changes in income performance, including the human development income index (HDII). Monitoring approaches and principal component analysis (PCA) are applied to evaluate the performance and interactions among the 17 goals and their relevant sub-indicators for the period from 2000 to 2023. The Evenness Index Score (EIS ) is calculated for the 17 SDGs to examine the distribution of performance among the goals within each year. Additionally, the interactions between the SDG index and four separate samples of sub-targets of the SDGs are analyzed. Five SDG principles (people, prosperity, planet, peace, and partnership) and their relevance to Türkiye’s broader objectives in addressing the challenges of achieving the SDGs are considered in the classification of sub-indicators. The findings highlight structural deficiencies, showing that growth in Gross National Income (GNI) per capita has not automatically translated into comprehensive SDG advancement. Despite relative improvements in income and SDG performance, the results indicate competing interests on the path toward middle-income growth and across the range of sustainable goals. Nevertheless, inclusiveness, environmental sustainability, and the quality of growth and institutions remain as important challenges. Targeting specific policies and focusing on particular goals (namely Goals 2, 5, 4, 8, 16, and 13) are likely to have a positive impact on achieving the SDGs.