2005 Environmental Environmental Sustainability Index

Summary for Policymakers2005 EnvironmentalSustainability IndexBenchmarking National Environmental StewardshipYaleYale CenterCenter forfor EnvironmentalEnvironmental LawLaw andand PolicyPolicyYaleYale UniversityUniversityCenterCenter forfor InternationalInternational EarthEarth ScienceScience InformationInformation NetworkNetworkColumbiaColumbia UniversityUniversityInIn collaborationcollaboration with:with:WorldWorld EconomicEconomic ForumForumGeneva,Geneva, SwitzerlandSwitzerlandJointJoint ResearchResearch CentreCentre ofof thethe EuropeanEuropean CommissionCommissionIspra,Ispra, ItalyItaly

EnvironmentalEnvironmental SustainabilitySustainability IndexIndex –– RankingsRankings andand ScoresScoresES IC o untry Na m eR a nkNo nES I OEC DOEC DS c o re R a nkR a nkES IC o untry Na m eR a nkNo nES I OEC DOEC DS c o re R a nkR a nkES IC o untry Na m eR a nkNo nES I OEC DOEC DS c o re R a nkR a nk1F inla nd75.1150C a m e ro o n52.53299Aze rba ija n45.4732No rwa y73.4251Ec ua do r52.433100Ke nya45.3743Urugua y71.84S we de n71.75Ic e la nd70.846C a na da64.457S witze rla nd63.7656Ge o rgia51.537105M o ro c c o44.8788Guya na62.9257Uga nda51.338106R wa nda44.8799Arge ntina62.7358M o ldo va51.239107M o za m bique44.88010Aus tria62.759S e ne ga l51.140108Ukra ine44.78111B ra zil62.260Za m bia51.141109J a m a ic a44.78212Ga bo n61.761B o s nia & He rze .51.042110Unite d Ara b Em .44.68313Aus tra lia61.0862Is ra e l50.943111To go44.58414Ne w Ze a la nd60.9963Ta nza nia50.344112B e lgium44.415La tvia60.4664M a da ga s c a r50.245113De m . R e p. C o ngo44.18516P e ru60.4765Unite d Kingdo m50.2114B a ngla de s h44.18617P a ra gua y59.7866Nic a ra gua50.2115Egypt44.08718C o s ta R ic a59.6967Gre e c e50.1116Gua te m a la44.08819C ro a tia59.51068C a m bo dia50.1117S yria43.88920B o livia59.51169Ita ly50.1118El S a lva do r43.89070B ulga ria50.048119Do m inic a n R e p.43.79171M o ngo lia50.049120S ie rra Le o ne43.492137451052La o s52.434101India45.253C uba52.335102P o la nd45.054Hunga ry52.0103Nige r45.07655Tunis ia51.836104C ha d45.07719204621472275272821Ire la nd59.222Lithua nia58.923C o lo m bia58.91372Ga m bia50.050121Libe ria43.424Alba nia58.81473Tha ila nd49.751122S o uth Ko re a43.025C e ntra l Afr. R e p.58.71574M a la wi49.352123Ango la42.926De nm a rk58.275Indo ne s ia48.853124M a urita nia42.69527Es to nia58.21676S pa in48.8125P hilippine s42.39628P a na m a57.71777Guine a -B is s a u48.654126Libya42.39729S lo ve nia57.51878Ka za khs ta n48.655127Vie t Na m42.39830J a pa n57.31279S ri La nka48.556128Zim ba bwe41.29931Ge rm a ny56.91380Kyrgyzs ta n48.457129Le ba no n40.510032Na m ibia56.71981Guine a48.158130B urundi40.010133R us s ia56.12082Ve ne zue la48.159131P a kis ta n39.910234B o ts wa na55.92183Om a n47.960132Ira n39.810335P . N. Guine a55.22284J o rda n47.861133C hina38.610436F ra nc e55.21485Ne pa l47.762134Ta jikis ta n38.610537P o rtuga l54.21586B e nin47.563135Ethio pia37.910638M a la ys ia54.087Ho ndura s47.464136S a udi Ara bia37.810739C o ngo53.840Ne the rla nds53.741M a li53.71211232416252393299488C ô te d'Ivo ire47.365137Ye m e n37.310889S e rbia & M o nt.47.366138Kuwa it36.610990M a c e do nia47.267139Trinida d & To b.36.311042C hile53.62691Turke y46.624140S uda n35.911143B huta n53.52792C ze c h R e p.46.625141Ha iti34.811244Arm e nia53.245Unite d S ta te s52.946M ya nm a r52.847B e la rus52.848S lo va kia52.849Gha na52.82893S o uth Afric a46.268142Uzbe kis ta n34.411394R o m a nia46.269143Ira q33.61142995M e xic o46.2144Turkm e nis ta n33.11153096Alge ria46.070145Ta iwa n32.711697B urkina F a s o45.771146No rth Ko re a29.211798Nige ria45.47217183126Note: The 2005 ESI scores are not directly comparable to the 2002 ESI scores. See Appendix A for details on methodological changes.

Executive SummaryThe 2005 Environmental Sustainability Index(ESI) benchmarks the ability of nations toprotect the environment over the next severaldecades. It does so by integrating 76 data sets –tracking natural resource endowments, past andpresent pollution levels, environmentalmanagement efforts, and a society’s capacity toimprove its environmental performance – into21 indicators of environmental sustainability.These indicators permit comparison across thefollowing five fundamental components ofsustainability: Environmental Systems;Environmental Stresses; Human Vulnerability toEnvironmental Stresses; Societal Capacity toRespond to Environmental Challenges; andGlobal Stewardship.The issues reflected in the indicators and theunderlying variables were chosen through anextensive review of the environmental literature,assessment of available data, rigorous analysis,and broad-based consultation with policymakers,scientists, and indicator experts.The ESI provides a powerful environmentaldecisionmaking tool tracking nationalenvironmental performance and facilitatingcomparative policy analysis. It enables a moredata-driven and empirical approach topolicymaking.While absolute measures of sustainability remainelusive, many aspects of environmentalsustainability can be measured on a relative basiswith results that provide a context for policyevaluations and judgments. Such comparisonsare especially important in the new context ofworldwide efforts to advance the environmentrelated aspects of the Millennium DevelopmentGoals.Higher ESI scores suggest better environmentalstewardship. The five highest-ranking countriesare Finland, Norway, Uruguay, Sweden, andIceland – all countries that have substantialnatural resource endowments, low populationdensity, and have managed the challenges ofdevelopment with some success.The lowest ranking countries are North Korea,Iraq, Taiwan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.These countries face numerous issues, bothnatural and manmade, and have not managedtheir policy choices well.A number of core policy conclusions emerge from the ESI analysis: The ESI provides a valuable tool for benchmarking environmental stewardship and permitscomparative policy analysis. Environmental stewardship demands attention to a wide range of pollution control andnatural resource management issues. Developing and developed countries face distinct environmental challenges – the pollutionpressures of industrialization on one hand and the stresses of poverty and incapacity on theother. Economic success contributes to the potential of environmental success but does notguarantee it. Environmental stewardship depends on both policy efforts and a society’sover-arching social, political, and economic systems. While it appears that no country is on a fully sustainable trajectory, at every level ofdevelopment, some countries are managing their environmental challenges better thanothers. Measures of governance, including the rigor of regulation and the degree of cooperation withinternational policy efforts, correlate highly with overall environmental success. This resultsuggests that emphasis on good governance may be justified. The lack of reliable data to measure performance on a number of issues and across manycountries hinders attempts to move toward more data-driven and empirical decisionmaking.

Constructing the ESIThe ESI is the equallyweighted averageof these 21 indicators*76 Variables21 Indicators5 componentsESI ScoreComponents groupindicator values into fivethematic categoriesEnvironmental Sustainability IndexCountry Scores by Quintile*Note: While the equal weighting of the indicators has some affect on ESI Scores, sensitivity analysis demonstrates the relative robustness of the ESI structure.

76 Variables Nitrogen dioxide concentration Sulfur dioxide concentration Particulate concentration Indoor air quality Ecoregions at risk Threatened birds Threatened mammals Threatened amphibians National Biodiversity Index Wilderness area Developed area Dissolved oxygen Electrical conductivity Suspended solids Phosphorus concentration Surface water availability Groundwater availability Coal consumption Nitrogen oxide emissions Sulfur dioxide emissions VOC emissions Vehicles in use Forest cover change Acidification Population growth Total fertility rate Ecological Footprint Waste recycling rates Hazardous waste generation Industrial organic effluents Fertilizer consumption Pesticide consumption Area under water stress Overfishing Sustainably managed forests Market distortions Salinization due to irrigation Agricultural subsidies Deaths from intestinal infectiousdiseases Child mortality rate Child mortality due to respiratoryinfections Malnutrition Safe drinking water supply Casualties due to environmentaldisasters Environmental Hazard ExposureIndex Gasoline price Corruption Government effectiveness Protected land area Environmental governance Strength of rule of law Local Agenda 21 initiatives Civil and political liberties Sustainable development data gaps International environmentalengagement Environmental knowledge creation Democratic institutions Energy consumption / GDP Renewable energy production Corporate sustainability (DowJones) Corporate sustainability (Innovest) ISO 14001 certified companies ISO 14001 certified companies Private sector environmentalinnovation Participation in Responsible CareProgram Innovation capacity Digital Access Index Female primary education University enrollment Research scientists Intergovernmental environmentalactivities Role in internationalenvironmental aid Participation in internationalenvironmental agreements5 ComponentsAir QualityBiodiversityLandEnvironmental SystemsWater QualityWater QuantityReducing Air PollutionReducing Ecosystem StressesReducing Population GrowthReducing Waste & ConsumptionPressuresReducing EnvironmentalStressesReducing Water StressNatural Resource ManagementEnvironmental HealthBasic Human SustenanceReducing HumanVulnerabilityReducing Environment-RelatedNatural Disaster VulnerabilityEnvironmental GovernanceEco-EfficiencyPrivate Sector ResponsivenessSocial and InstitutionalCapacityScience and TechnologyParticipation in InternationalCollaborative EffortsGlobal Stewardship Greenhouse gas emissions / GDP Greenhouse gas emissions / capita Transboundary sulfur dioxidespillovers21 Indicators Polluting-goods importsGreenhouse Gas EmissionsReducing TransboundaryEnvironmental Pressures

Cluster AnalysisESI Characteristic-Based Country GroupingsThe ESI offers a mechanism for establishing “peer groups” of countries for thepurpose of benchmarking environmental performance. The cluster analysisprovides a statistically derived set of seven groupings that links countries basedon their environmental characteristics.The clusters facilitate comparativeanalysis that helps to highlight leaders and laggards on an issue-by-issue basisand permits countries to gauge relative performance and identify best practices.