Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI)

IB SL

What Is It?

• Uses 21 indicators and 76 measurements to create a “sustainability score” for each country.

• The higher the score = better environmental sustainability.

Comparing Countries

• The 10 most sustainable countries ranked by the ESI are mainly wealthy, sparsely populated nations with an abundance of natural resources.

• The only densely populated countries with an above average ranking include Japan, Germany, Italy, and The Netherlands.

ESIESI Rank Country ESI Score

1 Switzerland 95.52 Sweden 93.1

13 Germany 86.321 Japan 84.551 South Korea 79.495 Zimbabwe 69.3

105 China 65.1120 India 60.3125 Bangladesh 58.0149 Niger 39.1

Environmental Sustainability

• Essential for helping poor people (highly dependant on the environment and it’s resources).

• Climate change affects all countries but mainly LEDC’s and their environmental sustainability.

Problems Today

• Overfishing has meant that many fisheries have collapsed.

• 60% of the world’s ecosystems are being used unsustainably or exploited.

• 10-30% of mammal, bird, and amphibian species face extinction.

• 40% of all forested areas has been lost and this is set to continue.

Challenges

• Education?• Research?•Who makes these decisions?• Economic growth of countries?• Investments?

Activity

• From what you have just seen and using A2 Geography P198-199, answer the following questions...

1. How useful/accurate is the ESI in ranking the environmental sustainability of countries?

2. Using figure 5.47 on P198, outline how unsustainability is human induced.

3. Explain how mainly MEDC’s could be held responsible for the natural and social signs of unsustainability (using P198-199).