Archive · 25 Aug 2026
India Ranks Second From Bottom in 2026 Environment Index
A new report compared how well countries protect the environment.
India came second from last among 177 countries.
Laos was ranked last, and Estonia was ranked first.
India received a score of 22.46, which was below the regional average.
The report said air pollution, coal use, forest loss, biodiversity protection and waste treatment hurt India’s result.
India did somewhat better on climate change than on environmental health and ecosystem vitality.
Another report looked at Indian states and found that Telangana had serious problems in agriculture and land management.
Telangana had some strengths, including water-quality monitoring and industrial sustainability efforts.
India ranked 176th among 177 countries in the 2026 Environmental Performance Index, with a score of 22.46.
Laos ranked last at 21.78, while Estonia topped the index with 74.79.
India ranked 174th in environmental health, 171st in ecosystem vitality and 130th in climate change.
The report linked India’s low ranking to air pollution, coal dependence, forest loss, weak biodiversity protection and waste-management problems.
A separate report identified Telangana as a weak performer in agriculture and land, citing challenges involving sustainable land use, forests, waste and pollution control.
- Who
- India was assessed by Yale University’s Centre for Environmental Law and Policy; Telangana was assessed in a separate report by the Centre for Science and Environment and Down To Earth.
- What
- India ranked 176th of 177 countries in the 2026 Environmental Performance Index, while Telangana was identified as a weak performer in the agriculture-and-land category of a separate state environment report.
- When
- The Environmental Performance Index was released in 2026; the State of India’s Environment 2026 report was released earlier.
- Where
- The rankings covered countries worldwide, while the second assessment covered Indian states, including Telangana.
- Why
- The reports attributed the poor results to pollution, fossil-fuel dependence, forest and biodiversity pressures, weak waste management and unsustainable land-use practices.
- India’s EPI rank
- 176th among 177 countries
- India’s EPI score
- 22.46
- Regional average
- 31.81
- Lowest-ranked country
- Laos, with 21.78
- Top-ranked country
- Estonia, with 74.79
- India’s category rankings
- 174th in environmental health, 171st in ecosystem vitality and 130th in climate change
- Telangana assessment
- One of the worst-performing states in the agriculture-and-land category