India drops two places but remains among top 10 climate performers: Report
Baku (Azerbaijan): India has been ranked 10th out of over 60 countries in the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2025, released at the UN climate conference. Despite slipping two positions from last year, India remains a high performer, attributed to its low per capita emissions and rapid growth in renewable energy adoption.
The CCPI, compiled by Germanwatch, New Climate Institute, and Climate Action Network International, evaluates countries on emissions, renewable energy use, and climate policy. The rankings highlight the global struggle against climate change, with the top three spots left vacant due to no country achieving a “very high” overall performance. Denmark, the Netherlands, and the UK occupy fourth, fifth, and sixth positions respectively, while the largest emitters, China and the US, rank 55th and 57th.
India’s per capita emissions stand at 2.9 tons of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e), significantly below the global average of 6.6 tCO2e. As the world’s third-largest emitter, India has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070 and aims to install 500 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030. Over the past year, the country has made strides in renewable energy, particularly through large-scale solar power projects and initiatives like the Rooftop Solar Scheme.
The report commended India’s progress in electric vehicle deployment, especially in the two-wheeler segment, and its advancements in energy efficiency standards. However, it noted that India remains heavily reliant on coal, with plans to increase production, as it holds some of the world’s largest coal reserves.
“India’s growth-oriented climate approach reflects its rising energy demand from an expanding population and industrial needs,” the report stated, while emphasising the need for greater focus on transitioning away from fossil fuels.
Globally, Denmark leads the rankings, followed by the Netherlands and the UK, which climbed significantly due to its coal phase-out policies and commitments to halt new fossil fuel projects. Meanwhile, Argentina (59th) recorded one of the sharpest declines due to its newly elected president’s climate denial stance.
China and the US remain among the lowest performers, with the report highlighting their dependence on coal and insufficient climate targets.
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.
