The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2021 was released on December 7, 2020 by Germanwatch, a non-governmental organisation. The index lists 57 countries and the European Union on the basis of four categories, i.e., greenhouse gas emission, renewable energy, energy use, and climate policy, each carrying 40 per cent, 20 per cent, 20 per cent, and 20 per cent weightage respectively. The countries included in the report are responsible for more than 90 per cent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Chile has been added to CCPI for the first time.
This index compares where countries actually are today with where they should be with regard to their fulfilment of the ambitious benchmarks. It evaluates their own 2030 targets.
Highlights
Highlights of the report are as follows:
- Overall None of the countries is on the path to meet the targets set by the Paris Climate Change Agreement. Not a single nation performed well on all four categories, which meant that the top three positions remained vacant.
- Some of the most developed countries are the largest polluters. From the G-20 countries, only the EU as a whole, along with India and UK, was ranked among ‘high’ performers. Among EU performers, Hungary and Slovenia superseded Poland as worst performer. With Sweden at the top of the index with 74.42 score, the US, was at the bottom with 19.75 score, ranked ‘very low’.
- India is among the top ten performers, for the second time in a row, scoring 63.98 points out of 100. It took the 10thrank this year, slipping one position as compared to 2019.
- India received high ratings on all CCPI indicators except ‘renewable energy’, where it was categorised as having a ‘medium’ performance. India is, however, taking substantial steps to mitigate the impact of climate change.
- USA, with a rank of 61, was the worst performer. In all categories, barring renewable energy, the US performance was judged as ‘very low’. In renewable energy, USA was ranked 53rd, with 3.12 out of 20, and was categorised as ‘low’.
- Six G20 countries were ranked among ‘very low’ performers. Saudi Arabia, Canada, Australia, South Korea, and Russia, took the 60th, 58th, 54th, 53rd, and 52nd positions respectively. Among the G20 nations, only the UK (fifth position) and India performed well. The EU as a whole, the UK, and India were categorised as ‘high’ performers.
- EU was given the 16th position in 2020 with a score of 57.29, up from 22nd in 2019 with a score of 55.82, largely because of its better-rated climate policy. The EU could become a role model in climate protection with green recovery measures after the COVID-19 crisis, by setting an ambitious climate target for 2030 in line with the 1.5 °C limit and good implementation and further development of its Green Deal, according to the report.
- Sweden was named ‘international frontrunner in climate protection’ for the fourth consecutive year with a score of 74.42. But Sweden was ‘no climate role model’.
- Renewable Energy No country was rated very high on indicators defining the ‘renewable energy’ category. Eleven of the G-20 countries are rated ‘low’ or ‘very low’. Turkey and Indonesia joined Brazil and the UK rated ‘high’. The EU’ performance shows no improvements, compared to last year. Only 11 EU countries, excluding UK, were categorised as ‘high’ for their performance in renewable energy category.
India’s performance was rated as ‘medium’ for its current share of renewable energy. It was ranked 27th (score 7.89) out of 57 countries in this category, as against 26th in 2019 (37.3). Though India improved its policy framework, there was a need for long-term planning. Its renewable energy uptake and targets scored ‘low’ and ‘medium’ respectively for their compatibility being well below 2.0 °C. India needed to focus more on renewable energy, both as a mitigation strategy and for its post-novel coronavirus disease green recovery.
India has not declared its mitigation strategy unlike the other two ‘BASIC’ countries, China and South Africa. The strategy should include post-COVID-19 recovery plans: reducing fossil fuel subsidies, phasing out coal, better coordination between the central and state governments, and raising self-sufficiency by domestic manufacturing in the renewable sector.
- GHG Emissions No country was rated ‘very high’ on indicators in the ‘GHG emissions’ category. Only France was categorised as ‘high’ among G-20 countries along with India and the UK.
Although India had one of the largest growth trends, per capita emissions stayed at a comparatively low level, rated ‘very high’ for their well-below 2.0 °C compatibility.
Eight of the G-20 members were ranked ‘very low’, while Saudi Arabia, the worst performer, moved up from the last to the second last (from 9.1 to 5.98). The EU was rated ‘medium’. Five EU countries were ranked ‘high’ performers, excluding the UK. The worst performers among the EU are Cyprus, Ireland, and Estonia.
- Energy Use India, along with Mexico, Brazil, Indonesia, and Germany, was ranked ‘high’ for its performance in the ‘Energy Use’ category.
The EU is categorised as ‘medium’ with 23rd rank. India is ranked 10th. Canada was categorised ‘very low’ and was at the bottom.
Climate Policy No country reached an overall ‘very high’ rating for the climate policy category. However, a few countries have a ‘very high’ rating for their international climate policy performance. Among G-20 members, South Africa performed better, getting ‘medium’ category. Saudi Arabia joined the ‘low’ performers. Five G-20 members were ranked ‘high’ performers.
The EU gained the twelfth position and was ranked ‘high’, with Finland at the top (4th position). The US remained at the bottom ‘very low’. India achieved thirteenth position among ‘high’ performers.
About CCPI
Published every year since 2005, the CCPI tracks the climate protection performance of 56 countries and the EU. It was set up by the not-for-profit organisations, Germanwatch and NewClimate Institute, along with the Climate Action Network (CAN). It accesses and assesses the climate policies of countries, their recent development, current levels and well-below-2 degrees Celsius compatibility of GHG emissions, energy use, renewable energies, and emission targets for 2030.