India Ranks 10th in Climate Change Performance Index Despite Setbacks
India ranks tenth in the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2025, which scores the climate policy of 63 countries responsible for 90% of global emissions. Despite India slipping two places from last year, it is one of the top performers, mainly because of low per capita emissions and significant strides in renewable energy deployment.
The CCPI, which was launched yesterday at the UN climate conference now underway in Cancun, notes that no country ranks in the top three this year because of insufficient growth within all categories. In the three top positions were Denmark, the Netherlands, and the UK, while the two emitting giants, China and the United States, ranked low with 55th and 57th places, respectively.
It is prepared by the think tanks Germanwatch, New Climate Institute, and Climate Action Network International, who assess countries’ performance based on their greenhouse gas emissions, progress in developing renewable energy, and their climate policies.
India: Some Achievements and Challenges in Climate Action
The world’s third-largest greenhouse gas emitter- India has emerged as a key player in the transition towards green energy in recent years. India has far lower levels of per capita emissions at 2.9 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, compared with a world average of 6.6 tCO2e. Over the past decade, India has made significant strides in terms of deploying renewable energy, such as large-scale solar power projects, and set ambitious goals for the future: 500 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030.
India has also worked on raising energy efficiency standards, though their enforcement is still mostly low. The country has made considerable strides in its efforts to roll out electric vehicles, especially two-wheelers, and launched the scheme of Rooftop Solar. Still, India’s coal-based emphasis hampers it as it is still planning for an increase in coal production even while transitioning to cleaner sources of fuel.
Global Comparisons
Countries show varied performances. India’s report card is better, but other countries are going worse or have performed less. Denmark ranks fourth on the list and remains the leader in climate policies, followed by the Netherlands. The UK has improved – thanks to a phase-out of coal and a commitment to halting new fossil fuel licenses. Still, no country achieved a “very high” rating in all categories of the CCPI.
The US and China, the world’s two largest carbon emitters, continue to face all sorts of criticism for relying on fossil fuels. China ranked 55th, despite promising plans on the way, remains hugely dependent on coal and lacks sufficient climate targets. The US ranks 57th and faces significant challenges in addressing its climate commitments.
Among the biggest losers this year is Argentina, which dropped significantly due to its withdrawal from COP29 and its new president’s denial of human-caused climate change. Other countries ranked near the bottom include Iran (67th), Saudi Arabia (66th), the UAE (65th), and Russia (64th), all of which are major oil and gas producers with weak climate policies.
Future Outlook
The CCPI 2025 report indicates that although India continues to do well in renewable energy deployment, the nation’s growth-driven approach to development may limit further major changes in climate policy. Since it is increasing its energy demands due to industrial growth and population increase, India’s balancing act will be its challenge of economic growth with environmental sustainability.
This report sheds light on how climate policy and targets need to be advanced, particularly in countries such as China and the US, where developments have been slower. The world continues to search for leadership to be able to address the climate crisis at hand, with examples that countries like Denmark and the Netherlands set with the most robust policy frameworks.
India’s climate-related goals, for instance, its net-zero emissions goal by 2070, are still in the long run. Its low-carbon future and way forward would require more aggressive policy measures: coal dependency, energy efficiency, and the transport sector, to name a few.
Conclusion
India’s performance at 10th in the CCPI reflects all of its efforts to combat climate change through renewable energy deployment and ambitious long-term goals. Though much is left to be done concerning its dependence on coal, much remains in terms of adopting energy-efficient measures. However, India needs to push for a more robust policy action in order to remain among the leaders of the world who are fighting against climate change.
Source: Based on the CCPI 2025 report and additional details provided.