Maintaining a clean environment not only results in an improved quality of life but also a longer lifespan. Human health may be considerably improved by ensuring that people have access to clean water, clean air, efficient waste management, and adequate sanitation.
For instance, nations with good air quality ratings minimize the likelihood that their residents will be subjected to potentially hazardous particles such as fine particulate matter (PM2.5). This, in turn, lowers the incidence of diseases that are linked to air pollution, such as those that affect the respiratory system or the cardiovascular system. In regions with high levels of pollution, the prevalence of non-communicable illnesses is higher, which together account for 72 percent of all fatalities. Toxic pollution is responsible for 16 percent of these deaths.
That metric is known as the Environmental Performance Index.
Researchers from Yale University and Columbia University, in conjunction with the globe Economic Forum, have evaluated 180 nations all over the globe based on their levels of cleanliness and their commitment to protecting the environment. They came up with the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) so that they could complete this mission.
The Environmental Performance Index evaluates ecosystem vitality and environmental health by measuring 32 performance indicators distributed over 11 categories. These indicators are tied to two main policy goals.
These aspects include the quality of the environment’s air, water, and sanitation, as well as its biodiversity and habitat, and its capacity to be sustained.
After all of the scores have been tallied, the nations are placed in a hierarchy that ranges from the cleanest to the dirtiest. Countries are able to quickly gauge the success of their environmental policies and the degree to which they are progressing toward reaching their environmental objectives by using this method.
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10. Austria
The Environmental Performance Index for Austria came in at 79.5, placing it sixth among all countries in the world. As a result of its tight rules for pesticides and fertilizers, Austria received the third overall ranking for agriculture and the fifth ranking for the health of ecosystems.
It is well knowledge that Austria has some of Europe’s most stringent regulations on air pollution, chemicals, and waste management. The majority of Austria is made up of green spaces such as grasslands and thick woods.
9. Denmark
Denmark, which has an overall EPI score of 82.5, will be the world’s greenest and most ecologically conscious nation in 2020. The country of Denmark stands out among other countries due to its exceptional performance in a number of areas, including Wastewater Treatment (100), Waste Management (99.8), and Species Protection Index (100).
In addition to this, it has some of the most extensive and cutting-edge measures in the world to curb emissions of greenhouse gases and combat the effects of climate change.
The rising number of eco-friendly hotels, solar-powered boats, and organic food in Denmark is evidence of the country’s commitment to promoting a sustainable lifestyle.
8. Luxembourg
Despite its rapidly expanding population and GDP, Luxembourg has achieved tremendous headway in its efforts to lessen the detrimental effects that its expansion is having on the environment.
The total score for Luxembourg is 82.3, but its results in the categories of Sanitation (100), Drinking Water (97.7), and Pollution Emissions (100) are probably even more excellent than its overall score.
Luxembourg is a mostly rural country with a high number of natural parks and abundant woods while being a relatively tiny nation with a population of less than 600,000.
https://luxembourg.public.lu/en.html
7. New Zealand
With a score of 77.7 on the EPI, Norway is now ranked ninth in the world. It gets a score of 100 out of 100 for both Sanitation and Drinking Water, and it has a score of 97.9 for air quality, which places it in fifth place internationally. In terms of environmental health, Norway is ranked in second place worldwide, behind only Finland.
Almost all of Norway’s power comes from renewable sources.
The government’s goal is to cut emissions of greenhouse gases by thirty percent by the end of the year 2020.
https://www.newzealand.com/ca/
6. Switzerland
A total EPI score of 81.5 places Switzerland in third place among all countries in the globe in terms of cleanliness.
In addition to achieving a perfect score on the Species Protection Index, Switzerland also achieved a perfect score in the Drinking Water and Sanitation categories, each earning a score of 100. It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Switzerland is famous for its pristine water and diverse animals.
5. The Finland
The seventh-cleanest nation is Finland, which is the second Nordic country to make the list. Renewable sources of energy account for around one-third of Finland’s total energy production.
Environmental Health (99.3) and Air Quality (98.8) both score in Finland at the top of the global rankings, while the country also receives perfect scores of 100 for Sanitation and Drinking Water Exposure and Heavy Metals Exposure.
Additionally, the nation places a high value on the protection of its forests and animals.
4. The France
The Environmental Performance Index gives France a score of 80, placing it as the fifth cleanest nation in the world. Although France is an industrialized country, over 80 percent of its energy comes from nuclear power. This results in a considerable decrease in the country’s carbon emissions and helps France get a flawless score of 100 in the pollution emissions category.
The French government has taken a number of steps to improve the environment, including installing hydroelectric turbines along the country’s rivers and prohibiting grocery stores from throwing out edible food that has been wasted.
https://www.history.com/topics/european-history/french-revolution
3. The Germany
Not only is Germany the most technologically advanced nation on earth, but it also ranks tenth among the cleanest countries in the world. This is certainly not a trivial accomplishment.
It has a score of 77.2 on the EPI, with a perfect score for the category of Unsafe Sanitation and a placement of fourth in the category of Biodiversity and Habitat.
Germany is on the cusp of a “renewable energy revolution,” which will result in the country being more eco-friendly as a result of the country’s increased investment in sustainable practices and green projects.
The purpose to evaluate the environmental condition of nations is to learn from the best performers, so that we may improve upon our own shortcomings and follow in their footsteps. These rankings should serve as motivation for nations to improve their environmental stewardship.
2. The Sweden
The value of Sweden’s EPI is 78.7. Both its low carbon dioxide emissions (Sweden is tied with Australia for having the second-cleanest air in the world) and its use of renewable energy sources have earned it a reputation as one of the countries with the strongest commitment to environmental preservation in the world. Sweden, which similarly places a strong emphasis on the natural world, has expanded its green spaces while simultaneously working to protect tens of thousands of acres of forestland.
1. The United Kingdom (UK)
With an EPI score of 81.3, the United Kingdom is the fourth-cleanest nation in the world. Given that the nation has a total population of 66.52 million people, this score is rather remarkable.
In terms of Pollution Emissions, Sanitation, and Drinking Water, the United Kingdom has achieved a flawless score.
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