The article presents the results of research and establishment of the relationship between the environmental performance index of one hundred and eighty countries of the world and their economic growth. Since 2020, the environmental performance index has undergone the process of systematization and expansion from the assessment of 16 to 58 indicators. For the study, the methods of practical orientation, direct analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, tabular and graphical were used. Statistical information on the environmental performance index and the gross domestic product of the countries of the world was selected from official sources. It was determined that the top ten leaders in the index are inconstant, such leaders of the world economy as the USA, China and India have not been indicated in the top ten ranking of the best countries in the world in environmental performance during the entire observation period. Russia, with positive results of gross domestic product growth, was not included in the ranking of the best countries in the index. This situation causes a certain contradiction of the market economy, which is as follows: improving environmental performance by country leads to a decrease in economic growth, that is, if humanity chooses to preserve the environment, then it must abandon the desire for high rates of economic growth, and therefore from competition. In conclusion, the authors point out that since the mid-20th century, the world elites have been promoting an agenda for solving global human problems, expressed in the "green" economy since 1989. It is also specified that since 2002, the environmental performance index has been assessed and analyzed, which currently covers calculations for 180 countries and 58 indicators. The analytical study concluded that the top ten leaders in this index are mainly countries of Europe and the European Union, and Sweden is listed in each biennial rating in the top ten countries in ecology.