Costa Rica ranked # 5 in the World in Environmental Protection
The 2008 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) managed by Yale and Columbia Universities announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland the top ten countries in the world for environmental protection. The top five ranking nations in the World were (1) Norway, (2) Sweden, (3) Switzerland, (4) Finland, and (5) Costa Rica (the U.S. placed 39th in this Index).
The EPI looks at success in environmental protection based on two objectives: reducing environmental stress on human health and promoting strong excosystems and sound natural resource management. The index measures a total of 25 indicators in six different areas: environmental health, air pollution, water, productive natural resources, biodiversity and habitat and climate change. Costa Rica came out #1 in several categories including: tackling air pollution, water stress, irrigation stress, land burning and improving forestry.
This award is a great achievement by Costa Rica whose policies have become a global example of protection of its biodiversity and continues to be a world leader in ecotourism.