Environmental decision-making has long been plagued by uncertainties and a lack of critical information. The data and analyses needed for thoughtful and systematic action to minimize pollution harms and to optimize the use of natural resources are often unavailable or seem too costly to obtain. As a result, choices are made on the basis of generalized observations and best guesses, or worse yet, rhetoric or emotion. Environmental Performance Measurement: The Global Report 2001-2002 presents a new approach to environmental decision-making based on facts and analytic rigor. It collects in one place the largest amount of environmental data that has ever been assembled at the nation-state scale. Presented here is the first serious attempt not only to measure environmental sustainability in one summary indicator, but also to rank 122 countries on the basis of this index. In addition, country profiles provide detailed information about the environmental performance of these countries across 22 critical environmental indicators. Written by both academics and practitioners, this report is an essential tool for environmental performance decision-making in many realsm and in all countries across the world.
