WASHINGTON (01/10/06) -- The United States has significantly improved its environmental performance in the last eight years even as its economy and population have grown substantially, according to a report from the Environmental Performance Review Program of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD). 

The report documents that from 1996-2005, the United States reduced pollution during a period when there was a 10 percent increase in the size of the U.S. population and a 30 percent increase in the nation's gross domestic product.
 

The report commends the United States for being a pioneer in market-based solutions, innovative policies, and partnerships for an improved environment. Noting this progress, the review commends the United States for "decoupling" environmental pressures from economic growth and details progress in a number of key areas:

• Emissions of major air pollutants declined;
• Drinking water standards have been strengthened;
• Overall quality of the water supplied by public systems improved;
• Extensive system of national conservation areas was further expanded;
• Ecosystem management approaches have been introduced to improve management of many sensitive areas and 
• Environmental justice considerations and cooperation with tribal authorities concerning environmental conditions has increased substantially since the 1990s.
  
  

OECD's Environmental Performance Reviews program assists member countries in improving their environmental management performance by assessing progress, promoting a policy dialogue among member countries, and stimulating greater accountability from governments towards public opinion. This is the second review of the United States, with the first review completed in 1996. 

To obtain a copy of the report or for additional details, contact OECD's Media Relations Division at: news.contact@oecd.org.