Malaysia has been ranked the ninth best in the world at tackling domestic and global environmental problems, according to an international index of 133 countries.

Produced by international scientists and researchers from Yale and Columbia universities in the US, the index ranked countries according to how they tried to tackle 16 global and domestic problems and met domestic and world targets.

New Zealand came top, followed by Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic.

The report said the world’s poorest countries, mainly in Africa, occupied the cellar because their governments had no resources to address the mounting problems of drinking water, indoor air pollution, sanitation and loss of forests.

The pilot list is based on environmental health and habitat quality indicators such as greenhouse gas emissions, park protection, and air and water quality.

"Good governance emerges as a critical driver of environmental performance," the report said.

While Malaysia had come under criticism in the past for the deforestation of some parts of its tropical forest, depriving the wildlife of precious natural resources and habitat, the country had also made tremendous progress in as much as preservation of its natural resources was concerned, Bernama reported.

The SARS scare three years ago also made Malaysia pursue an aggressive hygiene and sanitation policy, aimed at keeping the epidemic at bay.

According to the environmental performance study, only six countries, headed by New Zealand and followed by five North European countries, achieved an 85 per cent or greater success in meeting criteria for establishing environmental performance.

Pakistan and India, often criticised for environmental destruction, lack of hygiene facilities and supply of clean drinking water, scored poorly.

Both these countries were among the 20 lowest-scoring countries.

The study, called the 2006 Environmental Performance Index, has been reviewed by US and international experts.

The report will be issued this week during the World Economic Forum, an annual platform in the Swiss resort of Davos for informal meetings between business and political leaders.

Source: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Wednesday/National/20060125083913/Article/index_html