Support The Moscow Times!

Russia Scores High on 'Burden on the Planet' Ranking

A man looks out of his window surrounded by a recently created piece of graffiti depicting the Kremlin, Russia's President Vladimir Putin and the Russian flag, on the wall of a residential building in the Crimean port of Sevastopol.

A new survey ranking countries' in terms of their contribution to humanity has placed Russia in 95th place — only one place above the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Good Country Index, conceived by independent policy advisor Simon Anholt, measured 125 countries' contribution to human wellbeing using data from the World Bank, the United Nations and several other international organizations and NGOs to show whether a country is " a net creditor to mankind, a burden on the planet, or something in between."

Ireland topped the ranking in first place, scoring well in the seven separate categories that included "health and well-being," "prosperity and equality" and "planet and climate change."

Finland and Sweden finished in second and third, respectively, with the Netherlands and New Zealand completing the top five.

Closer to being a burden rather than a net creditor according to the ranking, Russia came in 95th place, sandwiched in between Congo and Honduras, after scoring particularly poorly in the "prosperity and equality" category.

The U.S. did not even make the top 20 — ranking in 21st place overall due largely to its weak showing in the "peace and security" category, where it ranked 114th.

Libya ended up at the very bottom of the list, with low scores all round.

Anholt, an honorary professor in political science at Britain's University of East Anglia, said in comments published online that the rankings were not intended to "start a global discussion about how countries can balance their duty to their own citizens with their responsibility to the wider world."

"It's time countries started thinking much harder about the international consequences of their actions; if they don't, the global challenges like climate change, poverty, economic crises, terrorism, drugs and pandemics will only get worse," Anholt added in comments published by Britain's The Independent.

See also:

Moscow Ranks Near Bottom in TripAdvisor Cities Survey

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more