India's Climate Actions Ranked Fourth Strongest

• 11 Dec 2023

India secured the fourth position in the Climate Change Performance Index, a yearly assessment by Germanwatch, marking an improvement from the previous year.

• The index evaluates 59 countries and the European Union on their climate action efforts.

Key Points

• Denmark Leads Again: Denmark maintained its top-ranking performance, while Estonia and the Philippines outperformed India. None of the countries achieved a 'very high' rating in recent years, leading to vacant top-three spots.
• Four Assessment Criteria: The index assesses countries based on four indicators: total emissions, renewable energy deployment, energy use, and climate policy.
• India received high rankings for greenhouse gas emissions and energy use, with medium ratings for climate policy and renewable energy deployment.
• Positive Per Capita Trend: Despite being the most populous country, India showcased relatively low per capita emissions.
• The country is on track to meet the benchmark of staying below a 2-degree Celsius temperature rise. However, the report highlighted the slow progress in the share of renewable energy.
• China and US’ Ratings: China (51st) and the United States (57th) received poor ratings. China's plans for increased gas production were deemed incompatible with the 1.5-degree Celsius target.
• While the US showed climate-friendly provisions, it was urged to do more, especially on fossil fuel phase-out.
• UAE's Low Ranking: The UAE, host of the UN Climate Change Conference, ranked among the bottom three, along with Iran and Saudi Arabia.
• UAE's high per capita emissions and inadequate national climate targets were cited, along with continued investment in oil and gas projects.
• Phasing Out Coal: The Germanwatch report urged India to accelerate coal phase-out, reduce reliance on gas, and expand renewable energy capacity.
• Additionally, advancing the 2070 net-zero target was emphasized as a key goal for India's climate agenda.