WHAT IS ENVIRONMENT PERFORMANCE INDEX?
The environment performance index is an international ranking system of countries ,based the environmental health of the countries. EPI is biennial index ( once in two years ) , first started in 2002. The EPI index uses various performance indicators , on the basis of which various countries are assessed and then ranked.
WHO PUBLISHES ENVIRONMNET PROTECTION INDEX?
The environment performance index is prepared by Yale University and Columbia University in collaboration with the world Economic Forum.
ENVIRONMENT PERFORMANCE INDEX 2022
The EPI 2022 uses 40 indicators and on the basis of these 40 indicators, 180 countries has been ranked. Denmark is at 1st position followed by United Kingdom, Finland, Malta and Sweden at 2nd , 3rd, 4th and 5th positions respectively.
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INDIA RANKS LOWEST IN EPI 2022
The Index has placed India at the bottom most position (180th Rank) , with EPI score being 18.90
INDIA’S RESPONSE TO ENVIRONMENT PERFORMANCE INDEX 2022
The Environment Ministry of India has issued a rebuttal saying the indicators used in the assessment are based on ” unfounded assumptions”. The Ministry said, “some of the indicators used for assessing performance are extrapolated and are based on unscientific methods”. The two major concerns cited by the ministry officials- Baseline data does not seem to have been used, and that there has been no explanation for the weightages assigned to certain indicators.
Ministry also said that shifting of weightage on many indicators has resulted in India’s low ranking. For example, for block carbon growth, India’s score actually improved from 32 in 2020 to 100 (the top score) in 2022, but the weightage of this indicator has been reduced to 0.0038 in 2022 from 0.018 in 2020.
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HOW SERIOUSLY SHOULD THE ENVIRONMNT PROTECTION INDEX 2022 BE TAKEN ?
Despite the inconsistencies , the government should not ignore the fact that India was at 168th rank in 2020 and has never been in the top 150 countries since the index was started. India should also accept to the fact that it does have severe local environmental issues, which have been highlighted in the report and need to be addressed.