Nepal's air quality is worst in the world, as per the 2018 Environment Performance Index jointly prepared by Yale University and Columbia University in collaboration with the World Economic Forum.

Nepal has been ranked in the last position among 180 countries in terms of its air quality, which is one among 10 issue categories the researchers used to calculate the EPI. Following Nepal from the bottom are India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and China.

The institutions say each country's performance in three major indicators–household solid fuels, PM2.5 exposure, and PM2.5 exceedance–was considered to calculate the score in air quality.

In the EPI itself, however, Nepal has been ranked in the 176th position among 180 countries. With a score of 31.44, Nepal is just ahead of India, Congo, Bangladesh and Burundi in the chart.

Nepal?s baseline rank in the Index was fixed in 174th position with a score of 32.

The Index was prepared on the basis of each country?s score in 24 performance indicators across ten issue categories covering environmental health and ecosystem vitality. The issue categories include air quality, water and sanitation, heavy metals, biodiversity and habitat, forests, fisheries, climate and energy, air pollution, water resources, and agriculture.

Among these categories, Nepal's position in the forest category is the best as it has stood in the 13th position. Afghanistan and Pakistan of South Asia are ahead of Nepal in this category.

In agriculture too, Nepal's rank (49th) is quite encouraging.

'These metrics provide a gauge at a national scale of how close countries are to established environmental policy goals,' the Yale University claims, 'The EPI thus offers a scorecard that highlights leaders and laggards in environmental performance, gives insight on best practices, and provides guidance for countries that aspire to be leaders in sustainability.'

Source: http://english.onlinekhabar.com/2018/01/24/412393.html