Today's Edition
MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI)
The UAE topped the Middle East region in the 2024 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) issued by Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy at Yale University, and the Center for International Earth Science Information Network at Columbia University.
The index offers a data-driven summary of the state of global sustainability through evaluating 180 countries using 58 performance indicators across 11 environmental criteria to assess progress towards mitigating climate change, improving environmental health, and safeguarding ecosystem vitality.
UAE: Setting Regional Standards
With an overall score of 52.0, the UAE secured the highest EPI ranking in the region, closely followed by Oman, with a score trailing by only 0.1 points. Both countries boast large networks of protected areas, covering over 17% of their land and 10% of their exclusive economic zones.
“The UAE is the regional leader in wastewater treatment and reuse, while Oman is one of the few countries that have successfully banned bottom trawling in their exclusive economic zone and fishing fleet,” the report stated.
Varying Performances Across the Middle East
The median EPI score of the “Greater Middle East” region is 43.2, which demonstrates marked improvement from its 2022 median score of 35.
However, performance across countries within the region varies significantly, reflecting diverse income levels. Iraq received the lowest EPI score in the region (30.4), performing low across most issue categories, according to the report.
“Iraq’s protected areas cover less than 2% of its land, its ecosystems are degraded, and its species face a relatively high extinction risk, all leading to a low score in Biodiversity & Habitat,” it stated.
“As a result, the country’s GHG emissions have increased nearly 35% over the last decade. The country’s heavy reliance on fossil fuels also leads to the worst levels of anthropogenic air pollution in the region, with serious consequences for public health and ecosystem vitality”.
World Off Track on Climate Goals
The EPI report noted that the latest global assessment on progress towards the Paris Agreement goals paints a “grim reality” indicating that the world is falling far short of achieving climate goals.
“Despite record deployment of renewable energy, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions keep rising. As the world enters uncharted climatic territory, there is a heightened risk of crossing irreversible tipping points in the planet’s climate system,” the report warned.
It further noted that growing evidence indicates the degradation of the planet’s life-supporting systems, crucial for human survival.
“A world economy that continues to rely heavily on fossil fuels translates into ongoing air and water pollution, acidification of the oceans, and rising concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
These changes threaten the survival of species already suffering from widespread habitat loss, pushing them closer to extinction”.
According to the report, recent assessments reveal that humanity has surpassed six of the nine critical planetary thresholds that delineate Earth’s safe operational limits, with the seventh boundary looming dangerously close.
