Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), 2027

Why in news?

The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2027 was released recently, on the sidelines of the ongoing UN climate conference (COP31) and its leaders’ summit in Antalya, Turkiye.

• CCPI – It was launched in 2005 and provides an annual analysis of countries’ climate protection performance and evaluates 64 countries and the 27-member European Union.
• These countries together account for more than 90% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
• Prepared & released by – The think tanks Germanwatch and New Climate Institute, incorporating inputs from nearly 500 experts from across the world.
• 4 categories –
  • GHG emissions (40%) – Measures a country’s greenhouse gas emissions levels, past trends and compatibility with a well-below 1.5°C warming limit, as well as its 2030 emissions targets
  • Renewable energy (20%) – Evaluates the current share and growth rate of renewable energy sources, along with their compatibility with global climate goals.
  • Energy use (20%) – Assesses overall energy efficiency, the per-capita energy use level, and past trends in energy consumption.
  • Climate policy (20%) – Examines national and international climate policy frameworks through expert assessments of government effectiveness and ambition in implementing the Paris Agreement.

Key findings

• Ranking – The first three ranks have remained vacant, as in previous years, as no country has managed to fulfil the parameters.
• Denmark (ranked 4th) again topped CCPI, followed by Lithuania and Luxembourg (at 5th and 6th, respectively).
• The UK and Morocco rank seventh and eighth, respectively.
• The world's largest emitter – China, is ranked 56th, whereas others in the league, Russia (66th), the US (67th) and Iran (68th), are the three worst performers in the overall rankings, with the report noting that none of the 65 largest emitters is on a Paris Agreement-compatible pathway.
• Pakistan – At 26th position, is ranked above India. It's primarily due to comparatively lower GHG emissions in a relatively much smaller economy.
• G20 Countries – The UK continues to be the only G20 country among the high performers.
• The 10 G20 countries received an overall 'very low' rating, including twin COP presidencies Turkiye (53rd) and Australia (54th), even though G20 bears special responsibility for climate mitigation, as its members account for over 75% of global GHG emissions.

India’s Insights

• Ranking – India ranks 28th in the CCPI, down five places from the previous year, but retains an overall medium rating, receiving a medium rating in GHG Emissions, Energy Use, and Climate Policy.
• Strength – India’s high Renewable Energy trend rating recognises the recent progress within the Renewable Energy category.
• It achieved 50% non-fossil fuel installed electricity capacity in June 2025—five years ahead of its 2030 target—driven by solar, wind, rooftop installations, EV adoption, and the launch of its Carbon Credit Trading Scheme in January 2026.
• However, “grid expansion and storage need to keep pace with renewable growth” and points out that “India curtailed 2.3 terawatt-hours (TWh) of solar generation to maintain grid security between late May and December 2025, reflecting operational constraints”.
• Domestic coal remains central to India’s electricity supply, while imports of crude oil, natural gas, and some coal create additional vulnerabilities.
• The net zero target for 2070 provides direction but does not itself specify a comprehensive fossil fuel transition roadmap and only implicitly targets fossil fuels.

References

1. TOI | India slips 5 spots on climate change performance index
2. Telegraph | India slips 5 spots on climate index