Comparative Global Environmental Measurement Analysis Based On Environmental Performance Index

Abstract

The importance of environmental sustainability stems from its contributions to the present and the future. Protecting biodiversity, achieving healthier conditions by reducing pollution, effectively combating global warming, and using resources efficiently is important for a clean and healthy future. To ensure environmental sustainability, the continuity of environmental measurement models is also required. Therefore, The Environmental Performance Index (EPI), consisting of 11 categories and 40 indicators, is published periodically every year by Yale and Columbia University researchers in partnership with the World Economic Forum. This study aims to perform a regional comparison by compiling EPI reports published between 1995-2022 and to reveal the relationship between country income levels and determined indicators. Within the scope of this study, the most important indicators were first selected with Pareto analysis according to EPI indicator weights. The selected indicators were compared in detail by dividing the 180 countries included in the 1995-2022 EPI report into regions. In the next stage of the study, the relationship of the selected indicators with income level was examined statistically. According to the results of the study, a statistically significant difference was found between the income levels of the countries with the nineteen EPI indicators selected.

Keywords

• Environmental Measurement
• Environmental Performance Index
• Global Comparison
• Statistical Analysis

References

1. Adeel-Farooq, R. M., Raji, J. O., & Qamri, G. M. (2023). Does financial development influence the overall natural environment? An environmental performance index (EPI) based insight from the ASEAN countries. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 25(6), 5123-5139. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-022-02258-x
2. Alhassan, A., Usman, O., Ike, G. N., & Sarkodie, S. A. (2020). Impact assessment of trade on environmental performance: accounting for the role of government integrity and economic development in 79 countries. Heliyon, 6(9). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05046
3. Almarafi, B., Khudari, M., & Abdullah, A. (2023). A Critical Review of the Relationship Between Environmental Performance Index, Financial Development and Economic Growth. International Journal of Professional Business Review, 8(7), e02675. https://doi.org/10.26668/businessreview/2023.v8i7.2675
4. American Lung Association. (2023, April 18). Sulfur Dioxide. Retrieved from https://www.lung.org/cleanair/ outdoors/what-makes-air-unhealthy/sulfur-dioxide
5. Bădîrcea, R. M., Doran, N. M., Manta, A. G., Puiu, S., Meghisan-Toma, G. M., & Doran, M. D. (2023). Linking financial development to environmental performance index—the case of Romania. Economic Research- Ekonomska Istraživanja, 36(2), 2142635. https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677X.2022.2142635
6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, October 18). Disease Impact of Unsafe Water. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/global/disease-impact-of-unsafe-water.html
7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, September 2). Health Effects of Lead Exposure. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/prevention/health-effects.htm
8. Chandrasekharan, I., Kumar, R. S., Raghunathan, S., & Chandrasekaran, S. (2013). Construction of environmental performance index and ranking of states. Current Science, 435-439. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24089743

9. Chen, C., Liu, G. G., Sun, Y., Gu, D., Zhang, H., Yang, H., . . . Yao, Y. (2020). Association between household fuel use and sleep quality in the oldest-old: Evidence from a propensity-score matched case-control study in Hainan, China. Environmental Research, 191, 110229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.110229
10. Cojocaru Bărbieru, A. C., Mihaila, S., & Grosu, V. (2023, May). The Relationship Between the Environmental Performance Index and the GDP Growth Rate in Emerging Countries in Europe. In Conference on Sustainability and Cutting-Edge Business Technologies (pp. 348-356). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland.
11. Cracolici, M. F., Cuffaro, M., & Nijkamp, P. (2009). The Measurement of economic, social and Environmental Performance of Countries: A Novel approach. Social Indicators Research, 95(2), 339–356. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-009-9464-3
12. Debbi, S., Elisa, P., Nigel, B., Dan, P., & Eva, R. (2014). Factors influencing household uptake of improved solid fuel stoves in low- and middle-income countries: a qualitative systematic review. International journal of environmental research and public health, 11(8), 8228–8250. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph110808228
13. Devadmin. (2021). PM2.5 Explained. Indoor Air Hygiene Institute. Retrieved from https://www.indoorairhygiene.org/pm2-5-explained/ Duit, A. (2005). Understanding environmental performance of states: An institution-centered approach and some difficulties. Environmental Performance Index. (2020). Fish Stock Status. https://epi.yale.edu/epi-results/2020/component/fss
14. Environmental Performance Index. (2020). Terrestrial biome protection (national weights). Retrieved from https://epi.yale.edu/epi-results/2020/component/tbn
15. Environmental Performance Index. (2020). Terrestrial biome protection (global weights). Retrieved from https://epi.yale.edu/epi-results/2020/component/tbg
16. Esty, D. C., & Porter, M. E. (2005). National environmental performance: an empirical analysis of policy results and determinants. Environment and Development Economics, 10(4), 391–434. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1355770x05002275
17. European Environment Agency. (2018, October 29). Marine protected areas. Retrieved from https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/marine-protected-areas/marine-protected-areas
18. Fakher, H. A., & Abedi, Z. (2017). Relationship between environmental quality and economic growth in developing countries (based on environmental performance index). Environmental energy and economic research, 1(3), 299-310. https://doi.org/10.22097/eeer.2017.86464.1001
19. Forseth, I. (2010). Terrestrial Biomes. Nature Education Knowledge 3(10), 11. Geneva Environment Network. (n.d.). Sustainable Nitrogen Management and the Role of Geneva. Retrieved from https://www.genevaenvironmentnetwork.org/resources/updates/sustainable-nitrogen-management-and-the-roleof- geneva/
20. Grafton, R. Q., & Knowles, S. (2004). Social Capital and National Environmental Performance: A Cross-Sectional Analysis. The Journal of Environment & Development, 13(4), 336–370. https://doi.org/10.1177/1070496504271417
21. Hsu, A., Lloyd, A., & Emerson, J. W. (2013). What progress have we made since Rio? Results from the 2012 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) and Pilot Trend EPI. Environmental Science & Policy, 33, 171-185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2013.05.011
22. IEA. (2023, July 27). Global coal demand set to remain at record levels in 2023. Retrieved from https://www.iea.org/news/global-coal-demand-set-to-remain-at-record-levels-in-2023
23. International Agency for Research on Cancer. (2010). Household Use of Solid Fuels and High-temperature Frying. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK385523/
24. Janishevski, L., Noonan-Mooney, K., Gidda, S. B., & Mulongoy, K. J. (2008). Protected areas in today's world: their values and benefits for the welfare of the planet. CBD Technical Series, (36).
25. Kordas, K., Ravenscroft, J., Cao, Y., & McLean, E. V. (2018). Lead Exposure in Low and Middle-Income Countries: Perspectives and Lessons on Patterns, Injustices, Economics, and Politics. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(11), 2351. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15112351
26. Lamb, W. F., Wiedmann, T., Pongratz, J., Andrew, R. M., Crippa, M., Olivier, J. G. J., . . . Minx, J. C. (2021). A review of trends and drivers of greenhouse gas emissions by sector from 1990 to 2018. Environmental Research Letters, 16(7), 073005. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/abee4e
27. Lymer, D., Funge-Smith, S., Clausen, J., & Miao, W. (2008). Status and potential of fisheries and aquaculture in Asia and the Pacific 2008.
28. Matthew R. Fisher. (n.d.). Terrestrial Biomes. Lumen. Retrieved from https://courses.lumenlearning.com/sunymonroe- environmentalbiology/chapter/3-3-terrestrial-biomes/
29. Morse, S. (2018). Relating environmental performance of nation states to income and income inequality. Sustainable Development, 26(1), 99-115. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.1693
30. Nathanson, J. A. & Ambulkar, . Archis (2023, August 12). wastewater treatment. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/technology/wastewater-treatment National Geographic. (n.d.) Water Inequality. Retrieved from https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/water-inequality/
31. National Marine Protected Areas Center (n.d.). About Marine Protected Areas. Retrieved from https://marineprotectedareas.noaa.gov/aboutmpas/ OECD. (n.d). The OECD Programme on Pesticides and Sustainable Pest Management | Vision for the future. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/chemicalsafety/pesticides-biocides/OECD-Pest-Vision-Final.pdf
32. Pujiati, A., Feronica, S. M. F., & Ridzuan, A. R. (2023). Measurement of The Role of Innovation in Increasing Environmental Performance Index: Empirical Study in Developed and Non-Developed Countries. International Business and Accounting Research Journal, 7(1), 18-36. http://dx.doi.org/10.35474/ibarj.v7i1.144
33. Raza, A., Sui, H., Jermsittiparsert, K., Żukiewicz-Sobczak, W., & Sobczak, P. (2021). Trade liberalization and environmental performance index: Mediation role of climate change performance and greenfield investment. Sustainability, 13(17), 9734. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13179734
34. Ritchie, H. & Max Roser (2020, May 11). CO₂ and Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Our World in Data. Retrieved from https://ourworldindata.org/co2-emissions
35. Ritchie, H. & Max Roser (2021, July 1). Clean Water and Sanitation. Our World in Data. Retrieved from https://ourworldindata.org/sanitation Rogge, N. (2012). Undesirable specialization in the construction of composite policy indicators: The Environmental Performance Index. Ecological Indicators, 23, 143–154.
36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2012.03.020 Rößger, N., Sachs, T., Wille, C., Boike, J., & Kutzbach, L. (2022). Seasonal increase of methane emissions linked to warming in Siberian tundra. Nature Climate Change, 12(11), 1031–1036. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-022- 01512-4
37. Samimi, A. J., & Ahmadpour, M. (2011). Comparison of Environmental Performance Index (EPI) in OIC countries: before and after financial crisis. Advances in Environmental Biology, 201-209. https://www.aensiweb.com/old/aeb/2011/201-208.pdf
38. Samimi, A. J., Erami N. E., & Yusef, M. (2010). Environmental performance index and economic growth: evidence from some developing countries. Australian journal of basic and applied sciences, 4(8), 3098-3102. https://www.ajbasweb.com/old/ajbas/2010/3098-3102.pdf
39. Samimi, A. J., Kashefi, A., Salatin, P., & Lashkarizadeh, M. (2011). Environmental performance and HDI: evidence from countries around the world. Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research, 10(3), 294-301. https://idosi.org/mejsr/mejsr10(3)11/3.pdf
40. Sarkodie, S. A. (2020). Environmental performance, biocapacity, carbon & ecological footprint of nations: Drivers, trends and mitigation options. The Science of the Total Environment, 751, 141912. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141912
41. Schuster, R. (2022, September 29). Researchers find real reason the air quality in the Middle East is so bad. Haaretz. Retrieved from https://www.haaretz.com
42. Shahabadi, A., Samari, H., & Nemati, M. (2017). Factors affecting Environmental Performance index (EPI) in selected OPEC countries. Iranian Economic Review, 21(3), 457–467. https://doi.org/10.22059/ier.2017.62925
43. Sima, V., & Gheorghe, I. G. (2014). Analyze of environmental performance in Romania based on environmental performance index. Annals of the „Constantin Brâncuşi” University of Târgu Jiu. Economy Series, 3, 101-104. https://www.utgjiu.ro/revista/ec/pdf/2014-03/17_Sima.pdf
44. Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions | US EPA. (2023, August 25). Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions
45. Stanwick, P. A., & Stanwick, S. D. (1998). The relationship between corporate social performance, and organizational size, financial performance, and environmental performance: An empirical examination. Journal of business ethics, 17, 195-204. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005784421547 United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2023, April 13). Overview of Greenhouse Gases. Retrieved fromhttps://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-g reenhouse-gasesWolf, M. J., Emerson, J. W., Esty, D. C., Sherbinin, A. D., & Wendling, Z. A. (2022). 2022 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) results. New Haven, CT: Yale Center for Environm ental Law & Policy.
46. World Health Organization. Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. (2005). A regional overview of wasterwater management and reuse in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Retrieved from https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/116463
47. World Resources Institute. (n.d.). Forest Loss. Retrieved from https://research.wri.org/gfr/forest-extentindicators/ forest-loss
48. Wurie, A. L., & Pillai, V. K. (2014). Correlates of Environmental Performance in Developing Countries. International Review of Modern Sociology, 149-162. https://www.jstor.org/stable/43499906
49. Xin, Z., Davidson, E. A., Mauzerall, D. L., Searchinger, T. D., Dumas, P., & Shen, Y. (2015). Managing nitrogen for sustainable development. Nature, 528(7580), 51–59. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature15743
50. Yalçın, F., Tepe, A. M., Doğan, G., & Çizmeci, N. (2021). Spatial regression models for explaining AQI values in cities of Turkey. Kocaeli Journal of Science and Engineering, 4(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.34088/kojose.803949
51. Zhang, F., Ma, X., Gao, X., Cao, H., Liu, F., Wang, J., Guangzheng G., Liang T., Wang Y., Chen X., Wang, X. (2023). Innovative nitrogen management strategy reduced N2O emission while maintaining high pepper yield in subtropical condition. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 354, 108565. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2023.108565
52. Zhou, P., Ang, B., & Poh, K. (2007). A mathematical programming approach to constructing composite indicators. Ecological Economics, 62(2), 291–297. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2006.12.020