India has dropped 13 positions in the latest Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), now ranking 23rd. 

About Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI)

• Publisher: The CCPI is released annually by Germanwatch, New Climate Institute, and Climate Action Network International, and has been published since 2005.
• Purpose: It evaluates and compares the climate action performance of major emitting countries, focusing on their progress in reducing emissions, expanding renewable energy, and implementing effective climate policies.
• Global Coverage: The CCPI compares the climate performance of 63 countries and the EU, which together account for over 90% of global GHG emissions.
• Assessment Criteria: The CCPI evaluates performance across four categories comprising 14 indicators:
  • Greenhouse Gas Emissions – 40% of the score
  • Renewable Energy – 20%
  • Energy Use – 20%
  • Climate Policy – 20%

Key Findings of the Climate Change Performance Index

Global Comparisons

• Top Performers: Denmark, the UK, and Morocco led the ranking in 4th, 5th, and 6th positions, respectively, while the top three positions remain vacant as no country achieved a perfect score.
• Worst Performers: China (54th), Russia (64th), the US (65th), and Saudi Arabia (67th) were the worst-performing G20 countries, receiving very low scores.

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India’s Climate Performance

• Rank: 23rd (previously 10th). Despite the fall, India performs above the global average in renewable energy expansion.
• Renewable Energy Achievements: India has made significant strides in renewable energy, achieving nearly 14% share of renewables in its energy mix from 2015 to 2023.
• Non-Fossil Capacity: Over 50% of India’s total installed electric power capacity (around 256 GW) now comes from non-fossil sources
• Reasons for India’s Fall in the Ranking:
• • Rising GHG Emissions: India’s GHG emissions have been steadily increasing, and the country ranked last in terms of emission trends, negatively impacting its overall score.
  • Rising Energy Consumption: Energy consumption in India has continued to rise, further contributing to the country’s lower ranking.
  • Weak Climate Policy: India’s lack of a clear coal phase-out plan and absence of a concrete coal phase-out date resulted in a significant loss of points in the climate policy category.
  • Future Improvement: According to CCPI, if India reduces coal power plant construction and accelerates the growth of renewables, its ranking could improve in the future.

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