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India ranked 176th out of 177 countries in the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2026, with a score of 22.46, making it the second-lowest ranked country globally (above Laos) and 7th among the 8 South Asian countries. Estonia secured the 1st rank with a score of 74.79.
About the Environmental Performance Index (EPI)
The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) is a biennial global index, first launched in 2000, and jointly published by the Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy (YCELP) and the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University.
The EPI 2026 evaluates 177 countries using 47 indicators across 12 environmental issue categories, grouped under three broad policy objectives:
Environmental Health
Ecosystem Vitality
Climate Change
The index serves as a global benchmark for monitoring progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Agreement, and the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
India’s Performance
India secured the 176th position with a score of 22.46, continuing its poor performance in recent editions of the index.
India's ranking trend has been:
2016: 141st
2018: 177th
2020: 168th
2022: 180th
2024: 176th
2026: 176th
Since 2022, India has consistently remained among the five lowest-ranked countries in the index.
Areas of Concern
The EPI placed India near the bottom globally in several environmental indicators, particularly Environmental Health, Air Quality, and Biodiversity Conservation.
The report also highlighted long-term declines in fishery resources, tree cover, and increasing pesticide pollution, which adversely affected India's overall ranking.
Areas of Relative Progress
Despite its overall low ranking, India performed relatively better in Climate Change Mitigation, reflecting improvements in reducing emissions intensity and expanding clean energy initiatives.
The country also recorded comparatively stronger performance in Waste Management and Sanitation.
Criticism by India
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and several Indian experts have questioned the methodology adopted by the EPI.
They argue that the index does not adequately account for India's stage of economic development, large population, historical emissions, and the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR). They also contend that the methodology relies heavily on model-based extrapolations and simplified cross-country comparisons, which may not accurately reflect India's environmental realities.
Yale’s Response
Researchers from the Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy maintain that the EPI measures the current state of environmental performance rather than future policy commitments.
According to them, the index is designed to provide objective, evidence-based assessments that can help governments make informed environmental policy decisions, rather than assigning responsibility based on historical emissions.
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In every Lecture. Director Sir will provide conceptual understanding with around 800 Mindmaps.
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