Uruguay stands out in MIT world ranking on green future

Uruguay improved its position in the Green Future Index 2023, the third edition of the comparative ranking of 76 nations and territories on their capacity to develop a sustainable, low-carbon future, prepared by the renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

The Green Future Index measures the degree to which countries’ economies are oriented towards clean energy, industry, agriculture, and society through investment in renewable energy, innovation, and green policies. Uruguay ranked 26th and, together with Costa Rica (24th) and Chile (30th), were the only Latin American nations among the top 30.

Uruguay showed an evolution concerning the previous year’s measurement in the overall score and four of the five measured parameters. The country moved up 12 places in the ranking and was among the 20 countries making progress or are committed to building a green future through sustainable policies.

Among these countries are several emerging economies, the report explains, primarily those with strong export economies capable of linking sustainable policies to economic incentives. “Uruguay’s agriculture and forestry sectors account for a significant share of its exports and nearly three-quarters of its carbon emissions. Efforts to decarbonize these sectors include the implementation of a carbon neutral certification process for its beef exports to Europe,” the report notes.

“Uruguay began exporting meat with carbon neutral certification to Europe, with the ‘Cradle to gate’ carbon footprint label. The agricultural and forestry sectors produce up to 73% of Uruguay’s greenhouse gases,” the report notes.

The index was compiled based on scores generated in the pillars of carbon emissions, energy transition, green society, clean innovation, and climate policy.

Regarding energy transition, a pillar that evaluates the contribution and growth rate of renewable and clean energy generation in each country, Uruguay achieved its best position, in 7th place among all the countries examined.

In the indicator that measures the effectiveness with which countries are reducing carbon dioxide emissions in general and in key sectors, Uruguay ranked 18th globally.

In the variable that quantifies the innovation environment for building a low-carbon future, such as the use of green patents and investments in clean energy and food technology, as well as in the one that considers the political climate and its initiatives to finance sustainable agriculture policies and a green economic recovery from the pandemic, Uruguay came in at number 26.

Finally, in the index that measures efforts made by government, industry, and society to promote green practices, the country ranked 51st.

Source: Technologyreview.com