The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) is a biennial report that has been compiled by researchers at Yale and Columbia universities for 25 years. Its longevity, rigorous methodology and quality of data-collected from top international research institutions-make the EPI the most authoritative reference for analyzing and comparing environmental policies around the world.<\/p>\n
In the 2024 edition, released in early June, new metrics were introduced to assess greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions, protected area management, and the ability of states to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and the new Global Biodiversity Framework.<\/p>\n
The report evaluated 180 countries across 58 indicators divided into 11 categories, grouped into three main objectives:<\/p>\n
In 2024, Italy ranked 29th with a score of 60.3 out of 100, up about +4 points from a decade ago. An improving result, but still below the average of comparable Western countries, despite being above the global average.<\/p>\n
With a score of 64.2, Italy ranks 36th in environmental health, which includes air quality, access to drinking water, heavy metals and waste management.
\nThey stand out:<\/p>\n
However, urban waste management remains critical, with a high amount produced per capita and recovery rates below the EU average.<\/p>\n
Ecosystems: good water and agriculture, bad fisheries and biodiversity<\/p>\n
Ecosystem viability (62.8 points, 36th place) shows mixed signals.<\/p>\n
Italy performs well in water management and agricultural efficiency (especially nitrogen management).<\/p>\n
However, the situation is worrying in fisheries sustainability, where the country ranks 124th, and in the protection of biodiversity and natural habitats, with a modest 53rd place and a deterioration in the indicator related to threatened species (Red List Index).<\/p>\n
Although the EPI 2024 does not provide a disaggregated score for each country in this category, analysis indicates that no country in the world-including Italy-is decarbonizing at a sufficient rate to meet the Paris Agreement goals.
\nThe Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2024, a complementary index focused solely on emissions, placed Italy 44th, down sharply from 29th in 2023.<\/p>\n
The top 5 in the 2024 ranking is led by:<\/p>\n
Estonia<\/p>\n
Luxembourg<\/p>\n
Germany<\/p>\n
Finland<\/p>\n
United Kingdom<\/p>\n
Denmark, which ranked first in 2022, is now 10th. The United States of America ranks 34th, suffering from insufficiently ambitious environmental and climate policies.<\/p>\n
Consulting this type of report is useful to understand how effective public policies, investment in sustainable infrastructure, preservation of natural resources, and civil society involvement are crucial in improving environmental performance.<\/p>\n
The best performing countries-such as Estonia or Luxembourg-have good governance practices, clear emission reduction targets, active biodiversity protection, and advanced regulatory tools. Italy, while showing signs of improvement, still has considerable room to work on, especially in the areas of decarbonization, biodiversity and fish sustainability.<\/p>\n
Fonti dei dati EPI<\/p>\n
I dati dell\u2019EPI provengono da fonti di massimo rilievo scientifico come:<\/p>\n
Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
World Resources Institute<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
CSIRO<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
FAO \u2013 Food and Agriculture Organization<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
World Bank<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Sea Around Us Project \u2013 University of British Columbia<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n