European countries top 'scorecard' on climate progress while US slips to 27th
Source: The Guardian
Wed 8 Jul 2026 06.00 EDT
Last modified on Wed 8 Jul 2026 06.01 EDT
Much of the world has made encouraging strides in reducing toxic problems such as water and air pollution that have long plagued communities. But there is still a widespread lack of progress among countries in dealing with the climate crisis, according to the latest edition of an influential environmental scorecard.
The biennial Yale University index again ranks Estonia as the best-performing of 177 assessed countries, after strong recent efforts to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and protect its ecosystems. Luxembourg is second, and the UK is third, having moved up from fifth place in the 2024 index.
European countries dominate the top 20, with only Japan, in 16th, not situated in the continent. Australia is in 25th place, two places ahead of the US. Laos is the last-ranked nation, with the bottom three rounded out by India and Bangladesh.
The environmental performance index, which has been produced periodically by Yale since 2002 and provided to the Guardian ahead of wider release, assesses countries on 47 environmental indicators, ranging from their success in reducing air and water toxins to the sustainability of their forests, fisheries and farmlands. Actions to reduce pollutants such as pesticides and planet-heating gases are also noted.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jul/08/climate-change-crisis-europe-us
NOTE: Yale hasn't uploaded their 2026 report on their site yet so media outlets apparently have a copy (the data reported in the OP being different from the 2024 report).