Key Takeaways
- Pakistan improves from 179th to 157th in the 2026 Environmental Performance Index.
- The improvement is attributed to increased environmental action, particularly in Punjab.
- Punjab has intensified measures to control air pollution and expand technology-based monitoring.
Pakistan has risen 22 places in the latest Environmental Performance Index (EPI), moving from 179th in 2024 to 157th in the 2026 global ranking, according to the Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy. This improvement is reflected in Pakistan's EPI score of 29.03, up from 22.46 for India, which is placed at 176th among 177 countries assessed in the latest index.
The 2026 EPI ranks countries on 47 indicators across 12 environmental issue categories, grouped under three broad policy objectives: environmental health, ecosystem vitality, and climate change. The improvement in Pakistan’s ranking is attributed to increased environmental action at the provincial level, particularly in Punjab.
In Punjab, the Environment Protection and Climate Change Department has intensified measures to control air pollution, strengthen environmental enforcement, and expand technology-based environmental monitoring. These efforts are especially focused ahead of the smog season, with the provincial Environment Protection Agency intensifying inspections and enforcement against polluting industries, brick kilns, smoke-emitting vehicles, and other activities contributing to poor air quality.
The province has also expanded technology-based environmental monitoring, including real-time air-quality monitoring and local air-quality forecasting. These systems are being used to identify pollution hotspots, support enforcement operations, and provide air-quality advisories. Measures targeting vehicular emissions have also been strengthened, with authorities deploying emissions-monitoring technologies to identify high-emitting vehicles.
Industrial units are being required to comply with emission-control standards, while brick kilns are being monitored for compliance with approved technologies and environmental regulations. Punjab has simultaneously pursued measures to reduce plastic pollution through restrictions on prohibited plastic bags and increased inspections in markets and commercial areas, claimed an Environment Department spokesman on Friday.
Environmental awareness and climate action have also been incorporated into provincial programmes. The Green School Certification initiative focuses on environmental education and practical environmental measures in schools, while technology-led monitoring and field enforcement are being integrated into the province’s wider anti-smog strategy.
The latest EPI ranking provides an international benchmark for assessing environmental performance. It highlights the continuing challenges facing countries in areas including air pollution, environmental health, ecosystem protection, and climate change. Pakistan’s movement from 179th in 2024 to 157th in 2026 represents a 22-position improvement in the global ranking. During the same period, India is ranked 176th in the 2026 index, with Pakistan placed 19 positions higher in the latest assessment.
For Punjab, the latest ranking comes at a time when the provincial government is placing greater emphasis on data-driven environmental monitoring, stricter enforcement, and preventive measures to address pollution and environmental degradation.
