The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) is a method of quantifying and numerically marking the environmental performance of a state's policies. This was firstly published in 2002 and currently ranks 180 countries in 2020. EPI scores and ranks each nation which are based on environmental performance of the country using the most recent year of data available and calculated how these scores have changed over the previous decade. The score is ranked from worst at 0 to best at 100.

Using 32 performance indicators across 11 issue categories, the EPI ranks 180 countries on environmental health and ecosystem vitality. These indicators provide a gauge at a national scale of how close countries are to established environmental policy targets. The EPI offers a scorecard that highlights leaders and laggards in environmental performance and provides practical guidance for countries that aspire to move toward a sustainable future.

2020 EPI provides a quantitative basis for comparing, analyzing, and understanding environmental performance for 180 countries among which Denmark, Luxembourg and Switzerland are ranked as top three nations. Denmark, Luxembourg and Switzerland have the EPI score of 82.5, 82.3, 81.5 respectively. According to the researchers, high-scoring countries generally exhibit long-standing commitments and carefully constructed programs to protect public health, conserve natural resources, and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

With the EPI score of 32.7, Nepal is ranked in 145th Position. Nepal has seen highly upsurge in its position as Nepal ranked 176th nation in 2018 EPI ranking.  Among South Asian countries, Bhutan is highly ranked in 107th position followed by Sri Lanka in 109th Position. Maldives is ranked 127th and Pakistan is 142nd which are ranked before Nepal, Bangladesh, India and Afghanistan are behind Nepal in the ranking with the position of 162nd, 168th and 178th respectively. Nepal still ranks as the 3rd last country in terms of Air Pollution which ranks only before India and Pakistan.

References: Wendling, Z.A., Emerson, J.W., de Sherbinin, A., Esty, D.C., et al. (2020). 2020 Environmental Performance Index. New Haven, CT: Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy. epi.yale.edu