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Experts have described India's ranking in the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2026 as a wake-up call, highlighting the need to strengthen environmental governance and sustainability efforts.

What is the Environmental Performance Index (EPI)?

The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) is a biennial global index that evaluates and ranks countries based on their environmental performance using a comprehensive set of data-driven indicators.

It is jointly developed by the Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy (YCELP), Columbia University's Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), and the Yale Center for Geospatial Solutions.

The index serves as a global benchmark for assessing countries' progress towards environmental sustainability and international commitments, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement.

Framework

The EPI assesses countries using 47 indicators grouped under 12 issue categories, which are organised into three broad policy objectives:

• Environmental Health
• Ecosystem Vitality
• Climate Change

EPI 2026 Highlights

• Top 5 Countries:
  1. Estonia
  2. Luxembourg
  3. United Kingdom
  4. Finland
  5. Netherlands
• Lowest Ranked Country: Laos
• India's Rank: 176th out of 177 countries
• India's Score: 22.46
  • Regional Average: 31.81