Estonia tops Environmental Performance Index as the most environment-friendly country
According to the Environmental Performance Index compiled by Yale and Columbia universities, Estonia is the most environmentally friendly country.
The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) – produced by researchers at Yale and Columbia University – is released every two years and ranks countries from around the globe on their commitment to sustainability.
The 2026 EPI evaluates 177 countries using 47 indicators across 12 issue categories spanning environmental health, ecosystem vitality and climate change.
Estonia ranks first in the 2026 EPI, driven in large part by a sharp reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from power generation over the past decade. The country has ramped up renewable electricity and scaled back fossil fuel production, while also ranking among the world’s top performers on biodiversity and ecosystem protection.
European countries hold all but one of the top 20 positions in this year’s ranking, reflecting strong performance on environmental health and climate change mitigation. After Estonia, the top five are Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, Finland and the Netherlands.
View the full rankings here:
https://epi.yale.edu/indicator/2026/EPI
