Pakistan has recorded one of the sharpest improvements in this year’s global environmental rankings, climbing 22 places in the 2026 Pakistan Environmental Performance Index released by the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy. The country moved from 179th in 2024 to 157th out of 177 nations assessed in the latest cycle, with its overall score rising to 29.03.
The Environmental Performance Index, widely regarded as one of the most comprehensive global environmental benchmarks, evaluates countries across 47 indicators grouped into 12 issue categories and three broad policy objectives: environmental health, ecosystem vitality, and climate change performance. A jump of 22 positions in a single assessment cycle is a notable shift for any country, let alone one that has historically struggled with air quality and industrial pollution.
Pakistan’s improved standing also puts it well ahead of regional neighbor India, which slipped to 176th place this year with a score of 22.46, placing Pakistan 19 positions higher in the overall rankings. The comparison has drawn attention given both countries’ long-running struggles with smog, particularly in northern Punjab and across the wider Indo-Gangetic plain during winter months.
What’s Driving Pakistan’s Improved Ranking
Much of the credit for Pakistan’s upward movement is being attributed to intensified environmental enforcement at the provincial level, especially in Punjab. Over the past year, provincial authorities have rolled out a series of measures aimed at curbing pollution at its source rather than only responding to smog after it forms.
Key actions include stricter enforcement against polluting industries and brick kilns that have long been blamed for seasonal smog spikes, the deployment of emissions-monitoring technology for vehicles on the road, and the rollout of real-time air-quality monitoring stations across major cities. Authorities have also tightened restrictions on prohibited plastic bags, backed by increased market inspections, and introduced a Green School Certification programme intended to build environmental awareness among younger generations.
Officials say the improvement reflects a shift toward data-driven environmental monitoring, where pollution sources are tracked and flagged before they become a public health emergency, rather than reactive shutdowns once air quality already deteriorates.
Why the Ranking Still Matters for Ordinary Pakistanis
While a 22-place jump is a meaningful improvement, Pakistan’s score of 29.03 out of 100 shows there is still considerable ground to cover before the country can be considered a strong environmental performer on the global stage. Air pollution, water quality, and waste management remain persistent challenges in most major cities.
For residents, the practical significance lies less in the ranking number itself and more in whether the underlying enforcement continues consistently through the winter smog season, when Punjab in particular has historically seen its worst air quality readings.
Environmental researchers note that sustaining this trajectory will require continued investment in monitoring infrastructure and consistent enforcement rather than seasonal crackdowns, especially as climate change continues to intensify weather extremes across South Asia. The next EPI cycle will show whether Pakistan’s gains this year mark the start of a longer-term trend or a temporary rebound.
For more on how Punjab’s provincial government is expanding public welfare initiatives, see our coverage of the cancer hospital being built in every division of Punjab. Pakistan’s diplomatic standing has also been in focus this week following the inquiry ordered into the Foreign Ministry’s document verification system.