ISLAMABAD: Pakistan`s ranking on the Corruption Perception Index(CPI) 2024 has dropped by two spots from 133 in 2023 to 135 in 2024 out of 180 countries, according to a report releasedbyTransparencyInternational on Tuesday.

The CPI ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption on a scale of zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).

The CPI report is released annually by Transparency International Berlin.

Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) has no role either in the collection of data or the calculation of the country`s score, TIP explains.

According to a Transparency International document listing Pakistan`s CPI ranking and scores from 1996 to 2024, the country`s score in the past 10 years has ranged between 27 and 33 points(ahigherscoreindicating less corruption).

Since 2012, when the index changed to a scoring scale of 100 from 10, Pakistan`s score rose from 27 to 33 in 2018 but declined consecutively back to 27, last year.

Statistics from the past show that in 1996, Pakistan ranked only second-last out of 54 countries part of the index back then, with a score of 1/10.

From 1997 to 2011, the country`s score went back and forth, reaching as high as 2.7 in 1998 and dropping as low as 2.1 in 2004 and 2005.

Global corruption levels remain alarmingly high, with efforts to reduce them faltering, according to the 2024 CPI, which has exposed serious corruption levels across the globe, with more than two-thirds of countries scoring below 50 out of 100.

The global average on the index has remained unchanged at 43, highlighting the need for urgent action against corruption and warning of a critical global obstacle to implementing successful climate action.

Against a backdrop of record-breaking global warming and extremeweather events, erosion of democracy and a decline in global climate leadership, the world has its back against the ropes in its fight against the climate crisis. Corruption is making that fight much harder, and the international community must address the link between corruption and the climate crisis, Transparency International says.

The CPI highlights the billions of dollars of climate funds that are at risk of being stolen or misused.

Most countries that are highly vulnerable to climate change score below 50 on the CPI. Countries suffering the worst effects of the climate crisis have the lowest scores, including South Sudan (8), Somalia (9), and Venezuela (10).

The CPI ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption on a scale of zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). Almost 6.8 billion people live in countries with CPI scores under 50.

This is equivalent to 85 per cent ofthe world population of eight billion. For the seventh year in a row, Denmark obtains the highest score on the index (90) and is closely followed by Finland (88) and Singapore (84).

Lowest scores Countries with the lowest scores are mostly in fragile and conflict-affected countries like S outh Sudan (8), S omalia (9), Venezuela (10), Syria (12), Libya (13), Eritrea (13), Yemen (13) and Equatorial Guinea (13).

Overaquarterofthe countriesinthe sample (47) got their lowest score yet on the index, including Austria (67), Bangladesh (23), Brazil (34), Cuba (41), France (67), Germany (75), Haiti (16), Hungary (41), Iran (23), Mexico (26), Russia (22), South Sudan (8), Switzerland (81), the United States (65) and Venezuela (10).

Over the past five years, seven countries have significantly improved their scores in the index. These include the Dominican Republic (36), Kosovo (44), Kuwait (46), the Maldives (38), Moldova (43) and Zambia (39).

Over the past five years, 13 countries saw their scores significantly decline in the index. The significant decliners are Austria (67), Belarus (33), Belgium (69), El Salvador (30), France (67), Kyrgyzstan (25), Lebanon (22), Myanmar (16), Nicaragua (14), Russia (22), Sri Lanka (32), the United Kingdom (71), and Venezuela (10).