that are vital to the keeping and reporting of data, like statistics and economics.3,4 Because of the spurious, evasive nature of data reporting and monitoring in North Korea, the EPI team decided that it could not provide a credible measurement of environmental performance there. If the truth of North Korea’s environmental conditions and data were not even made available to scientists invited to the country to help, and if even North Korean scientists seem unwilling to accept the catastrophe they oversee, how can anyone trust national reporting? Environmental degradation in North Korea has been documented by foreign journalists and visitors for decades.5 Unfortunately, data adequate to assess the extent of this degradation are not available for the EPI to assess. As such, the world will remain in the dark as to the state of North Korea’s environment.
1
Foster, J. (2012) Q&A: North Korea’s choked environment. New York Times. Available: http://green.blogs.nytimes. com/2012/03/30/q-and-a-north-koreas-choked-environment/. Last accessed: December 30, 2013. 2 The United Nations. (2012) Overview of needs and assistance: the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea. 2012.pdf. Last accessed: December 30, 2013. Bialik, C. (2013) Statistical diplomacy in North Korea. The Wall Street Journal. Available: http://blogs.wsj.com/ numbersguy/statistical-diplomacy-in-north-korea-1205/. Last accessed: December 30, 2013. 4 Melvin, C. (2014) Economic statistics. North Korean Economy Watch. Available: http://www.nkeconwatch.com/northkorea-statistical-sources/. Last accessed: January 2, 2014. 5 McKenna, P. (2013) Inside North Korea’s environmental collapse. Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). Available: http:// www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/next/nature/inside-north-koreas-environmental-collapse/. Last accessed: January 14, 2014. 3
2014 EPI
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