In terms of the environment, the start of 2016 has been far from rosy. Just within the current month, a recently published researched revealed that 2015 climates reached record breaking heights mainly due to human recklessness. Last week, the east coast suffered from snowstorm Jonas that left 48 dead. Meanwhile in the west coast, residents have been plagued by massive storm brought on by the El Nino. Thankfully, there seems to be good news coming from the recently released Environmental Performance Index.
Last weekend, researchers from Yale and Columbia published a report that measure how well each country protect not only human life but also the environment. The study measures several indicators namely biodiversity and habitat, forests, climate and energy, fisheries, agriculture, water resources, water and sanitation, health impact and air quality.
Based on their findings, there was a significant improvement in water and sanitation throughout most countries around the globe. Several efforts have been successful in providing sewage infrastructure and potable water to people who previously lacked the resources. In total, the number of people who do not have access to clean water has been cut in half since the start of the new millennium. Moreover there has also been some drastic improvement in protecting animals in the brink of extinction.
While the state of water politics and animal habitat are indeed causes for celebration, there are still concerns that are left to be addressed. Amongst the many problems include worsening air pollution, overfishing and lack of waste water management.
"The EPI sends a clear signal to policymakers on the state of their environment and equips them with the data to develop fine-tuned solutions to the pressing challenges we face. With the very survival of the planet at stake, we hope leaders will be inspired to act - especially in urban areas where an increasing majority of the world's population lives" explains Kim Samuel from McGill University.
