Slovenia may be really small in terms of its size, but in the field of ecology it belongs to the very top of the world.
5th place for green Slovenia
Looking at the results of the biennial Environmental Performance Index (EPI), conducted by the American Yale University, in 2016 is especially gratifying for Slovenians. Slovenia occupies the 5th place.
In terms of environmental performance, it is surpassed only by four European countries, namely Finland, Iceland, Sweden and Denmark. All the first ten places are occupied by European countries. The top ten is rounded off by France, which this year was the first country in the world to completely ban plastic utensils and plates.
What factors does the research consider?
The research takes into account factors such as air quality, access to drinking water, biological diversity and carbon dioxide emissions (CO2). Slovenia took first place and achieved all possible points in the field of protection of natural areas and protection of plant and animal species, eighth place in the field of diversity of flora and fauna and 15th place in the field of forests. In the last ten years, it has improved its result on the mentioned scale by as much as 12.15 percent.
Slovenia could be ranked even higher if...
Slovenia would be ranked even higher if it did not have such polluted air. You read that right. Concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and solid particles (PM2.5) are increasingly exceeding the permitted values, especially in cities in winter. As a result, we are also seeing an increase in respiratory diseases, including in children. Read more about how you can do your part to reduce air pollution at the links below.
