India drops two places but remains among top 10 climate performers: Report

India ranked 10th on a list of over 60 countries assessed for efforts to fight climate change despite dropping two spots compared to last ago, thanks to its low per capita emissions and rapid deployment of renewables, a report said on Wednesday (November 20, 2024).

The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI 2025) report, released at the annual UN climate conference in Baku, leaves the first three places empty followed by Denmark (fourth place) and the Netherlands while the largest two emitters, China and the U.S., remain very low at 55th and 57th place, respectively.

Published by think tanks Germanwatch, New Climate Institute, and Climate Action Network International, the CCPI tracks the progress of the world’s largest emitters in terms of emissions, renewables, and climate policy.

The 63 countries, along with the European Union, assessed in the CCPI are responsible for 90% of global emissions.

India ranks 10th in this year’s CCPI, remaining among the highest performers.

However, noting that significant changes in India’s climate policy are unlikely, the CCPI report said the growth-oriented approach to climate action is expected to continue or intensify, driven by rising energy demand from industry and the growing population.

“While India is the world’s most populous country, it has relatively low per capita emissions and energy use. Renewables have expanded rapidly over the last decade, and India aspires to play a leading role in green energy on the global stage,” the international climate think tanks observed.

India’s per capita emissions stand at 2.9 tons of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e), far below the global average of 6.6 tCO2e. The country, the world’s third-largest greenhouse gas emitter and the fastest growing major economy, has pledged to reach net zero emissions (balancing emissions with removals) by 2070 and aims to achieve 500 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030, Indian official data shows.

According to CCPI experts, over the past year, India has made considerable progress in renewable energy policy, particularly with large-scale solar power projects and the launch of the Rooftop Solar Scheme.

Energy efficiency standards have been introduced, but their coverage remains inadequate, the report said, adding, India is also advancing in electric vehicle deployment, especially with two-wheelers.

The experts said that despite these positive developments, India remains heavily reliant on coal.

“India is among the 10 countries with the largest developed coal reserves and is currently planning to increase its production,” the report said.

The report leaves the first three places empty, as no country performed well enough across all index categories to achieve an overall “very high” rating.

India and the U.K. are the only two G20 countries among the high performers in the CCPI.

Argentina (59th), which withdrew from COP29 and may pull out of the Paris Agreement of 2015, is one of this year’s biggest losers. Its newly elected president denies human-made climate change, contrary to scientific consensus.

Denmark ranks at the top (but technically fourth place), followed by the Netherlands and the U.K. The U.K., this year’s big climber, benefitted from its coal phase out and the government’s pledge to halt new licenses for fossil fuel projects, the report said.

China, the world’s biggest emitter, ranks 55th, falling to a very low level. Despite promising plans, trends, and measures, the largest economy in Asia remains heavily dependent on coal and lacks sufficient climate targets.

The U.S., the second-largest emitter, remains in 57th place among the very low performers.

The four lowest-ranked countries in the CCPI are Iran (67th), Saudi Arabia (66th), the United Arab Emirates (65th), and Russia (64th), all four among the world’s largest oil and gas producers.