Archive · 31 Jul 2026
India Ranked 176th in 2026 Environmental Performance Index
The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) is a big report that looks at how well countries take care of the planet.
In 2026, it ranked 177 countries.
Estonia did the best, while Laos did the worst.
India was near the bottom, at 176th place, with a score of 22.46.
The Indian government said the report uses bad data.
Another report, the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), shows Denmark as the best at cutting greenhouse gases, and India fell from 10th to 23rd place.
A third report, the Climate Risk Index (CRI), says India is the 9th most affected by climate disasters, with many extreme weather events, huge economic losses, and many deaths.
These reports help governments decide how to protect the environment and are also used in exams for civil service jobs in India.
The 2026 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) ranks 177 countries on 47 environmental metrics, with Estonia topping at 74.79 and Laos at the bottom with 21.78.
India falls 176th in the EPI 2026 with a score of 22.46, second from the bottom, and its Ministry of Environment rejected the ranking citing unfounded assumptions.
The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2026 shows Denmark as the top-ranked country (80.52) while India drops from 10th to 23rd with a score of 61.31.
The Climate Risk Index (CRI) 2026 ranks India 9th among the most climate‑vulnerable countries, with 430 extreme weather events, $170 B in economic losses, and 80,000 fatalities.
The EPI, CCPI, and CRI are independent tools used to assess environmental performance, climate mitigation, and climate vulnerability, respectively, and are referenced in UPSC exam materials.
- Who
- Government of India, Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy, Columbia University’s CIESIN, Germanwatch, and other international bodies
- What
- Release and analysis of the 2026 Environmental Performance Index, Climate Change Performance Index, and Climate Risk Index, including India's rankings
- When
- 2026 (EPI, CCPI, CRI releases) and 2023 (previous CRI ranking)
- Where
- Global (177 countries) with specific mention of Estonia, Laos, India, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, and others
- Why
- To assess environmental performance, climate mitigation, and vulnerability, and to inform policy and UPSC exam content
- EPI 2026 Release Year
- 2026
- Number of Countries Ranked
- 177
- India's EPI Rank
- 176
- India's EPI Score
- 22.46
- Top EPI Country
- Estonia
- Top EPI Score
- 74.79
- India's CCPI Rank
- 23