Switzerland (1st): For the last century, Switzerland had only one national park. However, officials have introduced 15 parks of national significance in the past five years, and two additional national park projects are underway.

Credit: CalistlaZ / Wikimedia Commons!

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Luxembourg (2nd): As the second richest country in the world with roughly $114,232 USD per capita along with a small population, it may be no surprise that Luxembourg provides 100 percent of its population with Access to Drinking Water, Sanitation, and Wastewater Treatment infrastructure.

Credit: Cayambe / Wikimedia Commons!

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Credit:.Stephen Johnson / Wikimedia Commons!

A u s t r a l i a ( 3 r d ) : D e s p i t e h i g h performance in many categories, Australia’s recent catch-and-kill shark policy may have negative implications for the health of fisheries and oceans.

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Singapore (4th): The highly urbanized country has an ambitious goal of recycling 70 percent of its waste by 2030.

Credit: Formulax / Wikimedia Commons!

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Credit: Donald Judge / Flickr!

Czech Republic (5th): The Czech Republic’s rivers flow through the main watersheds of Europe, going to North Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the Black Sea, giving it the moniker of the “roof of Europe” and making its good performance on Wastewater Treatment that much more critical.

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Afghanistan (174th): Since the fall of the Taliban, Afghanistan has experienced some of the most dramatic reductions in child mortality, largely due to substantial gains in the provision of clean drinking water and access to sanitation over the last decade.

Credit: Eskinder Debebe / UN Photo!

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Lesotho (175th): With 43 percent of their population living below the international poverty line of $1.25 a day, it’s unsurprising that Lesotho struggles with poor Access to Drinking Water and Sanitation, a high rate of deforestation, and very low levels of Biodiversity & Habitat protection.

Credit: OER Africa / Flickr!

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Haiti (176th): As of 2013, Haiti was the only Caribbean country that lacked a single marine protected area, despite having the second-longest coastline of all Caribbean nations.

Credit: Logan Abassi / UN Photo!

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Mali (177th): Coming in at second to last, Mali has the world’s highest Child Mortality rate in the world, primarily due to malaria and malnutrition.

Credit: African Development Fund / USAID!

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Somalia (178th): Although achieving abysmal scores on most measures in the EPI, Somalia just established its first permanent central government in 2012, which will hopefully in the future be able to develop the authority and capacity to protect human health and the environment.

Credit: UN Photo/Tobin Jones!

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