One of the best ways to check which countries are the cleanest in the world is by looking into the Environmental Performance Index (EPI), a project developed by Yale University and Columbia University.

The EPI takes into account a number factors directly associated with the environment such as air pollution and water sanitation and combines them to come up with a solid number to mark the environmental state in countries. Fifty percent of the variables pertain to environmental health while the other half involves ecosystem vitality.

Finland sits at the top of the list with a 90.68 EPI score. It is often considered one of the best countries to live in. It is known for having excellent air quality with minimal air pollution and for using environment-friendly energy resources.

Finland ranks fourth in Health Impacts, 18th in Air Quality, 26th in Water and Sanitation, 18th in Water Resources, eight in Fisheries, 19th in Biodiversity and Habitat, and 18th in Climate and Energy. However, Finland ranks really low in regard to Forests, checking in at a paltry 106th – the country has long-standing issues with logging.

Plans to increase logging in Finnish forests will have dire impacts on the climate; yet the Finnish government is ignoring evidence and denigrating scientists. Over the past four years it has expended vast political capital lobbying the EU to weaken its rules on how members account for emissions from forests and land.

More Info: improb.com