In 2006 Yale University , in collaboration with Columbia University, developed an EnvironmentalProtection Index (EPI) that it applied in full in 2008. The goal: to create a comparative index ofenvironmental policy to understand what governments are doing to protect their citizens' health(environmental health) and the global environment (ecosystem vitality). The individual measureswithin those categories and their weights are displayed below. But here's the problem: the EPI relies onthe best environmental data available. In practice this means that 89 countries or territories aren'tincluded-24 of them in our hemisphere (see lower right). Lack of credible data also prevented theinclusion of several key topics listed below. Let's hope the EPI, together with public engagement, canhelp prod countries to provide this information. View the full report.  View full article in Americas Quarterly.