Global Competetiveness Report

Country Rankings
Natural Capital
Positive incentives
Measurements to increase efficiency and
achieve sustainable development through
positive measurements include (but are not
limited to):
• Targeted R&D and policies conveying
resource-efficiency technologies (a growth
market with large economic potential)
• Investment in restoring natural capital (e.g.
forests) with long-term benefits for
renewable resources (such as
groundwater), and possibly, tourism
• Market tools such as cap-and-trade
systems unfortunately have proven to be
ineffective due to the complexity of cap
definition and administrative overheads
requirements
Compensation through technology
Despite very limited natural resources, Israel
(rank 155, excluding West Bank and Gaza)
has achieved and maintained a high level of
economic prosperity compared to its
neighbor's and other countries with similar
external characteristics. Israel has developed
and applied intelligent technology (in
particular in terms of irrigation) which allows
to extract the highest yield from limited
resources: the country is a net agricultural
exporter. However, Israel's’ natural water
reservoirs are limited and diminishing despite
the technology used, posing a serious
challenge to the long-term sustainment of
current output levels. Israel's example
demonstrates both the positive impact on the
development level as well as the limitations of
technology to guarantee long-term sustained
development.
Natural Capital Sustainability
Country Rank Score
China 133 34.2
Afghanistan 134 34.1
Burundi 135 33.9
Comoros 136 33.8
Syria 137 33.5
Somalia 138 33.4
Botswana 139 33.1
Azerbaijan 140 33.0
Eritrea 141 32.9
Morocco 142 32.5
Montenegro 143 32.5
Cuba 144 32.0
Libya 145 31.8
Nigeria 146 31.5
Armenia 147 31.1
Jamaica 148 31.1
Haiti 149 30.9
Tunisia 150 30.9
Mongolia 151 30.7
Iraq 152 30.7
Turkey 153 30.7
Namibia 154 30.5
Israel 155 30.4
India 156 30.1
Greenland 157 29.8
Brunei 158 29.7
South Sudan 159 29.6
United Arab Emirates 160 29.5
Kenya 161 29.5
Nepal 162 29.2
Bahrain 163 28.8
Pakistan 164 28.5
Yemen 165 27.6
Cyprus 166 26.9
Guatemala 167 26.2
West Bank and Gaza 168 24.9
Singapore 169 24.1
Lebanon 170 23.9
Maldives 171 23.6
Iran 172 23.3
Kosovo 173 22.2
Hong Kong 174 17.3
Jordan 175 15.1
The Global Sustainable Competitiveness Index
37