Coastal wind turbines on the outskirts of Copenhagen. Visible from almost anywhere in the capital, these iconic turbines are a symbol of Denmark's green city and sustainable energy future.
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Looking for where you can breathe the cleanest air every day? The latest global edition of The Air We Breathe by World Population Review ranks the countries with the cleanest air and lowest emissions, with Europe coming out on top, with Estonia taking the top spot.
The report is based on the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) and takes into account factors such as CO2, methane and greenhouse gas emissions, achieving carbon negative status, implementing environmental policies and sustainable practices, and expanding forests, rainforests and renewable energy sources.
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Developed by Yale and Columbia Universities in collaboration with the World Economic Forum, the EPI ranks 180 countries based on 40 indicators across 11 categories, focusing on ecosystem vitality, climate change and environmental health. These categories include air quality, water and sanitation, biodiversity and habitats, and sustainability.
Forest in Lahemaa National Park, Estonia
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The cleanest country
The 10 European countries with the highest EPI in the world are Estonia (75.3), Luxembourg (75), Germany (74.6), Finland (73.7), Great Britain (72.7), Sweden (70.5), Norway (70), Austria (69), Switzerland (68) and Denmark (67.9).
In fact, countries like Estonia, Denmark, the UK, Finland, Sweden, Luxembourg, Austria, Norway and Switzerland have all been named in the list of the world's cleanest countries since 2020.
The next 12 countries are also European: Greece (67.4), Netherlands (67.2), France (67.1), Belgium (66.79), Malta (66.6), Ireland (65.7), Czech Republic (65.6), Slovakia (65), Poland (64.4), Iceland (64.3), Spain (64.2) and Lithuania (63.9).
Aerial view of Shanghai's skyscrapers in early morning light
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CO₂, methane and greenhouse gas emissions
The list of the world's biggest polluters with the highest carbon emissions paints a grim picture of the planet's environmental problems.
China tops the list, with a staggering 12,667 million tonnes of CO2 emissions due to the size of its industrial and energy sectors.
The United States follows with 4,854 million tonnes, reflecting its high energy consumption and reliance on automobiles.
India emits 2.693 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, highlighting the environmental costs of its rapid economic and population growth, while Russia emits 674 million tonnes from heavy industry and energy production.
In the Middle East, Iran and Saudi Arabia had large footprints of 686.42 million tonnes and 607.91 million tonnes respectively, reflecting their oil-centric economies.
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Indonesia, which sits on the border between developing and developed countries, emits 692.24 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, reflecting its fast-growing energy demand and deforestation problem.
The ranking is similar for methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas with multiple sources including energy production, agriculture and waste management. China leads with 1,186,285 kt, followed by the United States with 748,241 kt, India with 697,655 kt, Russia with 617,227 kt, Brazil with 449,214 kt and Indonesia with 333,995 kt.
Carbon Negative
“Human-induced global warming may be the most significant environmental challenge in human history,” the report warns. “Driven primarily by the burning of fossil fuels such as oil (and gasoline), coal, and natural gas, global warming has the potential to permanently reshape coastlines, alter regional and global weather patterns, and disrupt entire ecosystems.”
To mitigate the effects of global warming, many countries around the world are beginning to make efforts to minimize their carbon emissions and become carbon neutral or carbon negative.
Few countries have achieved or are close to achieving carbon negative status, meaning they sequester more carbon than they emit.
With over 70% of its land covered in forests, Bhutan is leading the way by leveraging its vast green spaces and hydroelectric power generation, and is now the only country to have achieved negative carbon emissions – no other country has achieved this yet.
Next comes Suriname, which has an astounding forest cover of 90-97%, balancing mining emissions with vast forests.
Panama, where 56.8 percent of the country is forested, is undergoing an ambitious reforestation program and transition to cleaner energy.
Comoros, Gabon and Guyana are good candidates to become carbon negative. Comoros, despite its high population density, maintains large areas of forest that help sequester carbon.
Gabon, with 91.3% forest cover, stands out in Africa for its efforts to maintain its rich landscapes, while Guyana, with 93.6% forest cover, is also an important carbon sink.
Forest along the Tamoritch Falls Trail in Blue Pools, Oregon
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Forests and Rainforests
Suriname and Guyana top the list of countries with vast and rich forests covering 97.4% and 93.6% respectively.
Occupying 92% of the area, Micronesia symbolizes the Pacific's commitment to protecting lush landscapes surrounded by blue waters.
In Europe, Finland stands out as 73.7% of the country is covered by boreal forest, providing a tranquil retreat for people coming from industrialized regions.
With a forest cover of 68.7%, Sweden is a great choice for nature lovers.
On the other hand, countries such as Egypt and Qatar, not surprisingly, have very low forest coverage.
The UK and the US have forest cover of 13.2% and 33.9% respectively, reflecting the differing extent to which urbanisation is impacting natural spaces.
Makawa in the Amazon rainforest, Acre, Brazil
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As for rainforests, these ecological wonders on Earth are spread across different countries, each of which contributes in its own way to global biodiversity and carbon sequestration.
Only 53 countries can boast having at least one tropical rainforest.
The largest tropical rainforest, the Amazon, spreads across Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil and Venezuela and is home to around 2.5 million species of insects and more.
The Amazon rainforest is also home to about 40,000 species of plants and about 1,300 species of birds. On land, there are an estimated 427 mammal species, and in the water, there are an estimated 3,000 fish species.
Other large tropical rainforests include the Congo Rainforest, more than half of which is made up of ancient, primary forest that has not been disturbed by humans.
Indonesia is home to six distinct rainforest regions, including the famous Borneo Lowlands and the fascinating Kayan Mentarang National Park.
The Australasian rainforest is the third largest in the world and covers the island of New Guinea and northeastern Australia, as well as a chain of small islands that were connected during the ice ages.
The United States has four rainforest regions, including the vast Tongass National Forest and the Pacific Temperate Rainforest, showcasing the country's rich ecological diversity.
Argentina and Malaysia each have three rainforest regions, highlighting the ecological richness of South America and Southeast Asia.
Countries such as China and Vietnam each have only one rainforest region, such as the Indo-Burma rainforest in China and the Cardamom Mountains rainforest in Vietnam.
