India rejects environmental performance index: Calls the report based on assumptions

According to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, many factors in the recently issued ‘Environmental Performance Index 2022’ are based on incorrect assumptions. Ministry claims that some of the performance measures are extended and based on assumptions and nonscientific methodologies.

In a statement released by MOEF, it has rejected the analysis and conclusions published in the index.

The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) published recently by the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy and the Center for International Earth Science Information Network, Columbia University, put India worst among 180 countries, followed by the United Kingdom and Finland. The list was topped by Denmark.

According to MOEF, “Index has many indicators based on unfounded assumptions. Some of these indicators used for assessing performance are extrapolated and based on surmises and unscientific methods”

Ministry stated, ” Projected GHG Emissions Levels in 2050 is a new indicator in the Climate Policy goal. Instead of modelling that takes into consideration a longer time period, the level of renewable energy capacity and use, extra carbon sinks, energy efficiency, and other factors, this is calculated based on the average rate of change in emissions over the last ten years.”

Both the country’s forests and wetlands are important carbon sinks that were not taken into account when EPI 2022 calculated the predicted GHG emissions trajectory up to 2050.

Ministry further states that the Index places a greater emphasis on the size of Protected Areas than on the kind of protection they provide. The evaluation of management effectiveness of protected areas and eco-sensitive regions is not taken into account while calculating Biodiversity Indices.