Index Commentary

Taiwan rises in the Index by one place to rank 32. A big improvement in environmental performance is driven by Taiwan’s high quality of air and water. Despite high emissions intensity per GDP per capita and high CO2 emissions from electricity and heat generation, Taiwan outperforms other countries with similar energy intensity per capita in mitigating its environmental footprint. Energy security is Taiwan’s weakest dimension due to a low ratio of production to total energy supply and a low wholesale margin on gasoline which further decreased over the last year; this was only partly offset by a small increase in Taiwan’s weak oil reserve stocks. Performance in social equity and all contextual dimensions remains mostly constant. Taiwan maintains its strong economic position with macroeconomic stability and low cost of living as proportion of household consumption expenditure.