Norway ranks as Europe’s most environmentally friendly country, as per a study by solar panel manufacturer Hemsol, utilising data from the European Environment Agency, the Odyssee-Mure Project, and the Energy Institute.
The study incorporates factors such as renewable energy share, recycling rates, and carbon dioxide emissions to establish an index, with Norway achieving a score of 73.3 out of 100, primarily due to its substantial renewable energy share.
However, factors weighing on its score include high carbon emissions per capita and extensive farmland.
Best of the rest
Austria secures the second spot with a score of 68.89, with the country notable for its high public transport usage and recycling rates. Finland follows in third place with a score of 62.31, with the Nordic nation recently enacting a Climate Act aimed at achieving carbon neutrality by 2035.
Iceland (62.13) and (62.05) claim the fourth and fifth positions, respectively, each excelling in specific environmental aspects. Other countries to feature in the top ten include Estonia, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Slovenia.
Northern Europe
“It’s interesting to see how six of the countries in the top 10 are Northern European and how all Scandinavian countries figure in the top five,” commented William Bergmark, founder of Hemsol.
“This is a testament to their commitment to the environmental cause more than anyone else in Europe, and this can be seen both in the data and in the practical regulations that they have put in place both at home and that they have pledged to help with internationally.”
About the data
In preparing the table, Hemsol gathered data on the percentage of renewable energy share, municipal waste recycling rates, the percentage of public transport share in total passenger traffic, woodland and farmland area, and carbon dioxide emissions per capita for each state.
Each factor was converted into a score ranging from 0 to 10, with factors such as renewable energy share and carbon dioxide emissions were given higher weights due to their greater impact on a country’s environmental sustainability.
Top 10 Greenest Countries in Europe
| Rank | Country | Score/100 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norway | 73.30 |
| 2 | Austria | 68.89 |
| 3 | Finland | 62.31 |
| 4 | Iceland | 62.13 |
| 5 | Sweden | 62.05 |
| 6 | Estonia | 54.66 |
| 7 | Germany | 52.06 |
| 8 | Luxembourg | 51.83 |
| 9 | Switzerland | 51.75 |
| 10 | Slovenia | 51.63 |
