2016 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) rankings for 180 countries

The 2016 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) figures have been released for 180 countries.

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation indicate that air quality remains the leading environmental threat to public health, leading to lower EPI results for many countries. Countries with rapid urbanization and industrialization, such as India and China, remain poor in managing air pollution. The sources of outdoor air pollution include industry and energy emissions, dust, transport emissions, waste management, agricultural practices, and household energy emissions.

However, in terms of EPI results, most countries have improved their marine and terrestrial habitats, exceeding the 2014 international marine protection goal.

The top 10 countries in the world with the highest (best) EPI ranking include:

1. Switzerland (score 87.42)

2. France (83.95)

3. Denmark (81.60)

4. Malta (80.90)

5. Sweden (80.51)

6. United Kingdom (79.89)

7. Luxembourg (79.12)

8. Austria (78.97)

9. Ireland (78.77)

10. Finland (78.64)

Spain is 12th (78.39), Germany is 13th (78.37), New Zealand is 17th (75.96), Japan is 20th (74.69), and Australia is 21st (74.12).

Canada is 25th (72.18) and the United States of America is 27th (71.19).

Israel is 19th (75.01) and the best ranked country in the Middle East. Slovakia is 28th (70.60) and the best ranked country in Eastern European. Costa Rica is 30th (67.85) and best in Latin America. Trinidad and Tobago is 35th (67.36) and best in the Caribbean.

Croatia is 41st (65.45), Singapore is 49th (64.23), Russia is 52nd (63.79), Cuba is 55th (63.42), and South Korea is 60th (62.30).

Egypt is 66th (61.21), Brazil is 69th (60.70), Argentina is 74th (59.30), and Iran is 80th (57.79).

Georgia is 94th (55.69), doing well with its healthy forests (rated 7th in the world EPI rankings) but doing poorly in its agricultural pollution (rated 172nd) which reduced its overall rating.

Nigeria is 100th (54.76), Fiji is 107th (53.09), Turkey is 108th (52.96), Ukraine is 109th (52.87), Sudan is 115th (51.49), Oman is 116th (51.32), and China is 120th (50.74).

Thailand is 121st (49.88), Kenya is 130th (47.25), Bhutan is 131st (47.22), Viet Nam is 132nd (46.96), and Indonesia is 133rd (46.92).

Myanmar is 138th (45.32), Ethiopia is 141st (44.78), South Africa is 142nd (44.73), Vanuatu is 144th (44.55), Uganda is 145th (44.28), Mali is 147th (43.71), and Cambodia is 150th (43.23).

Iraq is 152nd (43.20), Liberia is 160th (41.62), Papua New Guinea is 164th (39.35), Afghanistan is 168th (37.74), and Pakistan is 169th (37.50).

Niger is 172nd (35.74), Haiti is 174th (33.74), Nepal is 176th (31.44), and India is 177th (30.57) out of the 180 countries ranked.

The worst three countries in terms of the EPI rankings are the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) which is 178th (30.41), Bangladesh at 179th (29.56) and Burundi at 180th (27.43).

MARTINA NICOLLSis an international aid and development consultant, and the authorof:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom(2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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