The American universities Yale and Columbia jointly publish the “Environmental Performance Index” (EPI) annually, evaluating the sustainability progress of 180 nations. The index divides the world into eight zones:
- Asia-Pacific
- Extended Middle East
- Eastern Europe
- Latin America and the Caribbean
- Former Soviet Union
- Southern Asia
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- “The Global West”
The aim of the EPI is to track the progress of individual states towards achieving the UN climate goals.
Due to the university’s classification, any graphic covering all of Europe must necessarily include several of these regions. In addition to Eastern Europe and parts of the former Soviet Union, this also includes states classified under the term “the Global West.” “The Global West” encompasses Western and Northern Europe, the USA and Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Notably, the USA ranks last within this group at 22nd place, a position it is projected to maintain under the Trump administration.
The Criteria for the EPI
The EPI 2024 assessment was based on 58 factors across eleven categories, grouped into three segments: climate change (weighted at 30%), environment and health (25%), and ecosystem vitality (45%). The individual categories are also weighted differently. The percentages are shown in the graphic below next to each component. Activities and progress are scored to establish a final rating on a scale of 0 to 100.
Listing the individual criteria would be too extensive, but the graphic from Yale University illustrates them:
Source: EPI Cover 2024
Commitment versus Indifference
Even though this is a value-based ranking, we cannot speak of winners and losers here. The ongoing climate crisis knows no winners. However, the rating shows which states are more committed and which consider the environment a secondary issue. Countries within the regions covering Europe hold 30 of the top 35 places worldwide. Australia, Japan, and New Zealand are also included in this top group.
Estonia stands out, ranking first worldwide from the “former Soviet Union” group with 75.7 points. Luxembourg ranked second worldwide and first within the “Global West” group, scoring 75.1 points. Germany secured third place worldwide (second within the “Global West”) with 74.5 points.
Among the European nations covered, Azerbaijan ranks lowest with 40.5 points, placing it at rank 121 worldwide. Globally, Vietnam ranked last (180th) in 2024 with 24.6 points.
All data listed here are taken from the “EPI Cover 2024.”
The Strengths and Weaknesses of Germany
While Germany’s good performance is gratifying, it’s also interesting to examine its specific strengths and weaknesses.
Germany scored well due to its extensive nature reserves. The often-criticized waste recycling system in Germany also had a significant positive impact, as did the expansion of renewable energies.
However, the authors of the study consider the attempts to counteract overfishing as “meager.” In addition, Germany still produces too much waste per capita and cannot yet keep up with other European countries in terms of air quality.
Implications for the Future
One sentence summarizes the future perspective: Environmental protection has only just begun.
