International.
A total of 180 countries were analyzed by Yale University's Center for Environmental Policy and Law through the Environmental Performance Index (EPI ), a report that is conducted every two years highlighting ecological protection and human health.
The analysis takes into account countries that make significant public efforts to care for the environment, making clear contributions to the reduction of carbon emissions, deforestation, pollution of the atmosphere and the depletion of natural resources.
Representing Latin America, the three highest-rated countries are Costa Rica (42nd place in the global ranking), Argentina (43rd), Cuba (45th), Brazil (46th) and Chile (52nd).
For the academic Angel Hsu, lead author of the EPI, "although many environmental problems are the result of industrialization, our results show that all nations, poor and rich, suffer from serious air pollution."
- Costa Rica. With a rating of 80.3, its main virtue is the constant work to counteract the negative effect that deforestation has had throughout its history. However, in the latest measurements the PPE includes variables related to wastewater treatment, being the great Achilles Heel of the country. Therefore, constant improvements have had to be made on this point.
- Argentina. With 79.84, its strengths are agriculture – according to variables such as the policy of subsidies to the sector and the regulation of pesticides – and air quality.
Efforts have also been made to replace traditional energy with renewable and clean sources of energy, as well as work to reduce national emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.
* Cuba. With a rating of 79.04, it stands out for using the minimum possible amount of toxic pesticides in agriculture and thus not contaminating the soil. Instead, Cubans use organic produce on farms.
The ten best placed countries in the recent EPI 2016 report are Finland, Iceland, Sweden, Denmark, Slovenia, Spain. Portugal, Estonia, Malta and France.
Source: lifestyle.americaeconomia.com
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