Environmental Performance Index
The Environmental Performance Index (EPI ) is an attempt to quantitatively represent the environmental performance of countries and companies and compare. It was developed by the Department of Environmental Sustainability Index, Yale University, and is based on the methodology of cost-benefit analysis. The index was created in collaboration with Columbia University, the World Economic Forum and the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission.
Indicators
The Environmental Performance Index includes 16 indicators in the areas of environmental health, air quality, water, biodiversity, natural resources and energy. They should reflect both the current state and the dynamics of the ecosystem:
Details on results
Striking is a close correlation between the wealth of a state and the performance in the environmental protection. Most developed countries achieve high environmental standards. Those countries with the lowest-ranked, such as Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritania, Chad and Niger are consistently poor. They have both low level of investment capacity for infrastructure, including water supply and sanitation, as well as tend to be weak environmental regulatory agencies.
Austria
Like most highly developed countries reached Austria in infant mortality and access to clean drinking water a good review. In addition, the country is characterized by efficient energy and resource use. Bad marks however, there were in the nature. The indicator " Ecoregion Protection" reached Austria only 12 points and cuts compared to France (70 points ) and the UK (69 points) very badly. The assessment is based on the entries by the World Conservation Union (IUCN ) and the United Nations Environment Programme established World Database on Protected Areas ( WDPA ). Even worse are Austria's values in the coverage by protected areas. While Britain adduced by 29 points, Austria received only 6 points. However, the authors emphasize that the calculation only the existing wilderness areas today were used. States that have destroyed their wilderness years ago, did not get any deductions.
Other States
The first Pilot 2006 Environmental Performance Index was introduced on 26 January 2006 at the World Economic Forum. The three most environmentally friendly countries were therefore New Zealand, Sweden and Finland. In the latest ranking of the year 2008, Switzerland, Norway and Sweden are in the lead.