A traffic jam on a New York City highway last month. An environmental group ranked the United States second worst after Saudi Arabia for greenhouse emissions and government policies.

MIKE SEGAR/REUTERS

Audio: Sweden, Germany ranked best for greenhouse emissions

The index, released by environmentalists on Friday to coincide with the Bali talks, names the US and Saudi Arabia as the worst emitters.

posted December 10, 2007 at 11:00 am EST

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Reporter Peter N. Spotts discusses the Climate Change Performance Index, released Friday by a German environmental group.

Saudi Arabia and the United States are the world's worst greenhouse gas emitters, while Sweden and Germany are the best among major economies, said a report by a German environmental group Friday.

The Climate Change Performance Index released by Germanwatch examined the 56 countries that are responsible for 90 percent of global emissions. The report examines not just overall emissions, but also at the government policies and long-term trends. This methodology has led to surprising results.

Reporting from Bali, reporter Peter N. Spotts discusses the study.