Environmental and Ecosystem Performance in Latin America and Africa: An Exploration Using EPI, SDG, And Data Mining

Abstract

Our research objectives are to reveal the characteristics and trends of environmental health, ecosystem vitality, and climate change for countries in Latin American & Caribbean, North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa from 2012 to 2022, relate these trends to their respective sustainability performance, and finally provide environmental policy recommendations with high sustainability effects. The data we use combine Environmental Performance metrics with sustainable development goals agreed by United Nation members. Using data mining techniques, we found two clusters that cross-out geographical boundaries for 2022 and 2012. One cluster dominates the other in all environmental indicators but environmental health, and their differences increased in the last 10 years. Based on our findings, we recommend countries in both clusters to focus on environmental policies that improve environmental health and climate change conditions, but at different rates. These environmental policy recommendations have positive multiplier effects on poverty, health, gender, inequality, and economic progress.