The Pilot Environmental Performance Index (EPI) deploys a proximity-to-target methodology focused on a core set of environmental outcomes linked to policy goals for which every government should be held accountable. It includes data from 133 countries and presents scores and rankings with “sparklines” highlighting the relative performance of each country in addressing (1) environmental health challenges, and (2) five underlying policy categories that contribute to ecosystem vitality.
By identifying specific targets and measuring how close each country comes to them, the EPI provides a factual foundation for policy analysis and a context for evaluating performance. Issue-by-issue and aggregate rankings facilitate cross-country comparisons both globally and within relevant peer groups.
The EPI was developed by the Center for Environmental Law & Policy at Yale University and the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) at Columbia University in collaboration with the World Economic Forum and the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission.
The report in PDF format is available for download at
http://www.yale.edu/epi/2006EPI_Report_Full.pdf.
