International ReportsImportant2024-11-20

Release of Climate Change Performance Index 2025

Why focus: GS3 Reports. Promoted to cluster with COP30. India's rank and empty top 3 spots are reliable statement-based MCQ traps.

In News

What Happened

Germanwatch, the NewClimate Institute, and Climate Action Network (CAN) International released the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2025 at COP29 in Baku on November 20, 2024. The top three positions were left vacant as no country met the 'very high' performance criteria, with Denmark securing the 4th spot. India ranked 10th globally out of 63 countries and the European Union.

Why It Matters

Although India's rank slipped from 7th to 10th, it remains one of only two G20 nations (alongside the UK) in the 'high performer' category. The index highlights India's success in maintaining low per capita emissions and advancing renewable energy, while also signalling the need to accelerate its transition away from coal to meet long-term climate targets.

Background

History & Context

The CCPI has been published annually since 2005 to track the climate protection performance of the world's largest emitters, which collectively account for over 90% of global greenhouse gas emissions. It evaluates 63 countries and the EU across four weighted categories: GHG Emissions (40%), Renewable Energy (20%), Energy Use (20%), and Climate Policy (20%). The index serves as an independent transparency tool to monitor whether countries are on track to meet the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C temperature limit.

What Changed

▶
India's Global Rank: BEFORE (CCPI 2024), India was ranked 7th globally. NOW (CCPI 2025), India has dropped three places to rank 10th.
▶
Top Performing G20 Nations: BEFORE (CCPI 2024), India, Germany, and the EU were the high-performing G20 members. NOW (CCPI 2025), only India and the UK are the G20 countries in the high-performing category.
▶
India's Renewable Energy Rating: BEFORE (CCPI 2024), India managed a moderate/medium rating in the Renewable Energy category. NOW (CCPI 2025), India received a 'low' rating in the Renewable Energy category, contributing to its drop in the overall ranking.

Prelims Angle

NCERT Connection

This index practically applies the concepts of international climate agreements and mitigation strategies discussed in NCERT Class 12 Biology Chapter 16 (Environmental Issues). It demonstrates how global indices measure concrete actions—like Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement—to control greenhouse gas emissions and shift to renewable energy sources in order to combat global warming.

Practice Questions

Q1

Correct Statement(s)

Consider the following statements regarding the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2025: 1. The top three positions were left vacant because no country achieved a 'very high' performance rating. 2. India and the United Kingdom are the only G20 countries ranked among the high climate performers. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Up next