Environmental experts at Yale and Columbia universities released their biannual Environmental Performance Index at the World Economic Forum. The index ranks 163 nations according to their performance on 25 indicators that fall into ten policy categories, which are as follow: environmental burden of disease, air pollution (effects on humans), air pollution (effects on ecosystem), water (effects on humans), water (effects on ecosystem), biodiversity and habitat, forestry, fisheries, agriculture, and climate change.
Iceland dominated the rankings, coming in 1st, while the United States came in at a mediocre 61st, a sizeable drop from its 39th place rank in the EPI's last evaluation in 2008.
However, this year's rankings cannot be compared accurately to the 2008 index, as "the scientists have shifted their methodology slightly as they seek to zero in on the fairest way to quantify the broad and nebulous area of environmental performance," The New York Times reported.
Additionally, since most of the data pulled for the index are from 2007 and 2008, it is not an accurate representation of the Obama administration's efforts to improve, the Times said. All the same, the U.S. falls far behind its fellow industrialized nations such as the United Kingdom, which came in at a respectable 14th place.
We've compiled 10 of the best, worst, and most notable nations in this year's rankings. Which country best addresses your environmental concerns? Which one neglects them the most?