Slovenia fared the best in the elimination of extreme forms of poverty, provision of quality education and accessibility of energy sources.

This year's report includes for the first time a review of trends for individual objectives, with Slovenia recording progress in almost all objectives, the Government Office for Regional Development announced on Monday.

Slovenia is meanwhile the least successful in infrastructure and industry, securing sustainable forms of production and consumption, measures to fight climate change and the use and preservation of the sea and marine resources for sustainable development.

"The positive trends show that we are moving slowly, but surely in the right direction. We are nevertheless facing a lot of work if we want to reach the goals set for 2030," said Alenka Smerkolj, the minister in charge of the field.

The report says that, overall, the major challenges through 2030 will be the implementation of climate goals, improvement of aquatic ecosystems and of the life on land, adding that countries need to step up their efforts to preserve biodiversity.

According to the report, progress in sustainable forms of production and consumption is too slow, with the countries with the highest income making the poorest results, while at the same time affecting other countries in reaching their goals.

The third Global Responsibility has been complied by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), a UN-affiliated non-profit organisation, and Bertelsmann Stiftung, an independent foundation from Germany.