The recently released Environmental Performance Index 2010 is a
comprehensive sustainability rating system where 163 countries were judged
based on 25 stringent sustainability performance indicators.
The outcomes of
the research are summarized in this article and each country is discussed in
brief to highlight some of the factors that make them the most sustainable
countries in the world.
Iceland (93.5)
Iceland is one of the most sustainable countries in the world and
it is likely that the country will continue to excel in a variety of
environmental management areas. According to the EPI, there is is low
environmental burden of disease, low air pollution, high water quality for both
humans and in ecosystems, pristine forests and effective management of timber
reserves, and an effective climate change policy.
In Icelandic politics the sustainability performance initiatives
are driven by two distinct governmental bodies, which include the Environment
Agency of Iceland and Iceland's Ministry for the Environment. Some of the most
effective policies that make Iceland a relatively sustainable country are the
Emissions of Greenhouse Gases Act from 2007 and the Nature Conservation Act,
which was passed in 1999.
Switzerland (89.1)
Switzerland which lies high up in the Alps and smack dab in the
middle of the EU is a highly sustainable country. Its history can be told of as
being very resource constrained, but the innovative policies and advanced
environmental management practices in Switzerland have propelled them into
becoming one of the most sustainable countries in the world.
One of the challenges for Switzerland in remaining one of the most
sustainable countries are the rapidly melting glaciers in the alps. The
glaciers are melting due to global warming and the melt water is essential to
the Swiss agriculture system.
Thirty-one percent of Switzerland is covered in woods and close to
100k jobs are directly related to the vast timber resource. In general
Switzerland is very resource poor, but they have an abundance of wood, so the
culture has evolved to use this resource in many products including their
homes, which are historically all built from wood.
Costa Rica (86.4)
Beautiful Costa Rica is well known as a haven of eco tourism for
their dense rain forests and beautiful beaches, but many travelers may not be
aware that it is also one of the most sustainable countries in the world. The
environmental performance of this sustainable country is driven through the
governments massive conservation efforts under their national parks program.
Costa Rica is one of the most sustainable countries because of its
dedication to their forest and water systems in the country. By focusing on
these environmental management aspects, they've been able to to improve their
sustainability performance in a number of areas that help them to maintain
they're more than 10k species of plants and 800+ species of butterflies found
in the 10% of protected areas.
Sweden (86.0)
Sweden's environmental performance is top-notch in the areas of
environmental health, forestry, and water management, which makes it one of the
World’s most sustainable countries..
Their are a number of government agencies in Sweden that help to
make it a sustainable country. These include the Ministry of the Environment,
the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, the Swedish Chemicals Agency, the
National Board of Housing, Building, and Planning, who is responsible for all
land and water management, and the Environmental Objectives Portal.
It may prove difficult in time for Sweden to remain in the top ten
most sustainable countries if they are not able to meet their climate
obligations as noted here. However, the Swedish government has set an ambitious
goal of having zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Norway (81.1)
Norway has earned it's way onto the list of the most sustainable
countries in the world because of its active management management regimes and
progressive environmental policies. However, Norwegians have a very high level
of affluence and it may prove difficult to attain the status of a sustainable
country if the trending shown in the following chart continues.
Purchases abroad and purchases of "other goods and
services" has increased dramatically over the last four decades.
Consumption patterns like this are clearly not sustainable and, if continued,
Mauritius (80.6)
You may not know a lot about this sustainable country, but
Mauritius is an over-achiever in the environmental management sector, thus
becoming one of the most sustainable countries globally. Mauritius'
environmental performance in the areas of fisheries, forests, and agriculture
has helped propel them into the top rankings.
The Mauritius Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development
has played an integral role in making Mauritius a sustainable country and you
can find a considerable amount of information on the environmental management
regime via their helpful web portal.
One of the more innovative policies that the country has championed
is the environmental protection fee, which is payable at the point of entry to
the country covers devices like cell phone and pneumatic tires.
France (78.2)
A sustainable bastion of the EU, France has achieved high ranking
in the environmental performance index for somewhat controversial reasons. It's
notable nuclear program hasn't helped distinguish the France as one of the most
sustainable countries in the area of climate change, despite the fact that they
have significantly reduced this sustainable country's greenhouse gas emissions.
France has aggressive legislation that helps to keep the air
quality high for humans and an active fisheries management program that ranks
high.
Austria (78.1)
Austria is another sustainable country whose heritage and
environmental performance is inextricably linked to the European Alps. Most
sustainable countries share one thing in common -- they are small and Austria
is no exception to this norm. Austria is only 84k square kilometers and hosts a
population of almost 8 million people. Of this area, 46% is forested land. The
geographic context of the forests and mountains has mandated Austria to manage
the land very carefully for many decades
Cuba (78.1)
Many people don't think of Cuba as one of the most sustainable
countries, but persistent management of the natural resources and habitats
since 1981 has earned it the title of "sustainable country". Cuba
managed to pass what is known as Law 33 in 1981 to start a long process of
transforming the environmental performance of the country.
Cuba was the only country in the world rated as having
"sustainable development" in the World Wildlife Fund Living Planet
Report 2006 because they met the two underlying criteria of the Human
Development Index and the "Ecological Footprint".
Colombia (76.8)
Most sustainable countries are resource constrained in many ways,
but Colombia is anything but that, as they boast being the second most biologically
diverse country in the world (10% of global total). Therefore, managing the
sustainability of Colombia should be a key priority for the entire planet.
Unfortunately, as recently as the early 2000's Colombia was losing
up to 200k hectares of natural forest every year. However, you can see that
part of the reason that Colombia is a sustainable country now is the fact that
they rate very highly in the forest area of the environmental performance
index.
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