India slips five places to 28th in global climate performance index

India slipped five places to 28th position in the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2027, released on the sidelines of the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Turkiye, highlighting concerns over rising greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption and continued dependence on fossil fuels.

India secured a score of 60.85 and retained its overall 'medium' performance rating. The country had ranked 23rd in the previous edition and 10th in CCPI 2025, marking a decline of 18 positions over two years.

The annual index, prepared by Germanwatch and the NewClimate Institute with support from Climate Action Network International, assesses the climate performance of 64 countries and the European Union, which together account for more than 90 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

The assessment considers four categories — greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy, energy use and climate policy. Emissions carry 40 per cent weightage, while the remaining three categories account for 20 per cent each.

𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀

According to the report's authors, India's decline was primarily driven by its performance in greenhouse gas emissions and energy use.

Although the country's per capita emissions and energy consumption remain relatively low compared with several major economies, both indicators have increased in recent years.

The assessment highlighted India's continued dependence on coal for electricity generation and the challenges involved in transitioning towards cleaner energy sources while meeting growing domestic demand.

It also noted that India's target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070 provides long-term direction but does not establish a comprehensive roadmap for reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

𝗥𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀

Despite the decline in its overall ranking, the report acknowledged India's progress in expanding renewable energy capacity, particularly through solar and wind power projects, rooftop installations and electric mobility.

India received a 'high' rating for its renewable energy trend, reflecting the pace of clean energy expansion.

The country achieved its target of obtaining 50 per cent of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources in June 2025, five years ahead of its 2030 deadline.

However, the report pointed out that installed capacity does not necessarily translate into an equivalent share of electricity generation.

Inadequate grid infrastructure, limited energy storage capacity and the continued reliance on coal-fired power plants were identified as major obstacles to accelerating the transition.

The assessment also highlighted instances of solar power curtailment caused by grid constraints, underscoring the need for investments in transmission networks and storage systems.

𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

A senior Union Environment Ministry official disagreed with the findings, maintaining that India had made substantial progress in climate action.

The official cited the early achievement of the country's non-fossil electricity capacity target and the rapid expansion of renewable energy infrastructure.

The official also defended India's continued use of coal, linking it to the country's developmental priorities and growing energy requirements.

Climate experts, however, stressed that India would need to translate its expanding clean energy capacity into greater actual electricity generation while improving energy efficiency and reducing fossil fuel dependence.

𝗗𝗲𝗻𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀

Denmark emerged as the highest-ranked country, occupying fourth position with a score of 84.05, followed by Lithuania and Luxembourg.

The first three positions remained vacant because no country demonstrated sufficiently strong performance across all assessment categories to qualify for the highest rating.

The United Kingdom ranked seventh and was the only G20 country to receive an overall 'high' rating.

China stood at 56th position, while Saudi Arabia ranked 65th, Russia 66th and the United States 67th. Iran occupied the bottom position at 68th.

The report found that 10 G20 economies received an overall 'very low' rating, despite the grouping accounting for more than 75 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

The European Union improved its position by one place to 19th, retaining its 'medium' rating.

The findings, released during the ongoing COP31 negotiations, underscored the gap between countries' climate commitments and the measures required to limit global warming under the Paris Agreement.