The 2008 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) ranks 149 countries on 25 indicators tracked across six categories, including environmental health and water resources. Produced by Yale University and Columbia University, the EPI also provides “peer group” rankings for each country showing how its performance compares to countries in the same income group and within the same region. Analysis of the 2008 rankings suggests that wealth and policy choices are major determinants of environmental success.

The environmental health category includes indicators for the environmental burden of disease from diarrhoea and air pollution, and indicators for access to safe water and sanitation. The water resources group consists of indicators for the water quality of inland waters and water stress. The water quality indicator is based on five parameters: dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus. The water stress indicator is calculated as the percentage of national territory with water withdrawals exceeding 40% of available supply.

A lack of complete data, meant that 89 countries were excluded from the 2008 EPI. “It is inexcusable that our collective investment in environmental monitoring is so low. For some critical issues such as water it is actually decreasing”, declared Marc Levy, one of the EPI project leaders.

Web site: Environmental Performance Index

Contact: epi@yale.edu

Source: Yale University, 23 Jan 2008

Tags: water quality, water resources management