Diagnosing structural interdependencies in the Green Growth Index: an integrated indicator framework for sustainability governance

This study advances indicator-based sustainability assessment by examining structural interdependencies among the four dimensions of the 2024 Green Growth Index—resource efficiency, natural capital protection, green economic opportunities, and social inclusion—across 154 economies. Using an integrated structural pathway assessment framework that combines expectation–maximization clustering, Bayesian network modeling, partial least squares structural modeling, and importance–performance mapping, the analysis reveals how these dimensions interact to shape green transition outcomes. Results indicate that social inclusion and natural capital protection are structurally positioned as intermediary dimensions through which economic and environmental domains are conditionally associated within the index architecture, while governance quality, derived from the Worldwide Governance Indicators, amplifies systemic performance. Key leverage points—such as green investment, water efficiency, gender balance, and air quality—are identified as strategic priorities for policy intervention. The study contributes to indicator methodology and sustainability governance by demonstrating how composite indices can be used diagnostically to uncover interlinkages and guide transformative change.