Madrid (NVI): India, for the first time, made it to the list of top 10 countries in the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2020. India ranked 9th in this year’s index that was jointly presented by Germanwatch, NewClimate Institute and Climate Action Network (CAN).
The CCPI 2020, which illustrate the main regional differences in climate protection and performance within the 57 evaluated countries and the EU, was released at the COP 25 climate change conference in the Spanish capital here.
India for the first time ranks among the top ten in this year’s CCPI. These ranking results are given on the basis of country’s aggregated performance in 14 indicators within the four categories are GHG Emissions, Renewable Energy and Energy Use, as well as on Climate Policy, in a globally unique policy section of the index.
According to CCPI 2020 the current levels of per capita emissions and energy use in India are still comparatively low and result in high ratings for the GHG Emissions and Energy Use categories.
While India receives an overall medium rating in the Renewable Energy category, the country’s 2030 renewable energy target is rated very high for its well-below 2°C compatibility.
However, despite an overall high rating for its Climate Policy performance, experts point out that the government has yet to develop a roadmap for the phaseout of fossil fuel subsidies that would consequently reduce the country’s high dependence on coal.
“In short, more stringent laws and amendments should be made to achieve climate change targets,”report said in a statement..
The first three position in the Index were left empty as no country could meet 100 percent of all standards.
The top position was bagged by Sweden which was ranked at the with fourth position while, China was ranked 30th position.
Policy advisor for CCPI at Germanwatch, M Ursula Hagen said that the new Climate Change Performance Index shows signs of a global turnaround in emissions, including declining coal consumption.
“We see opportunities for a halt to rising global emissions – but much will depend on further developments in China and the elections in the USA. Both countries are at cross roads,” she said.
Co-publisher of the CCPI from CAN Dr Stephan Singer said that this science based assessment shows again that in particular the large climate polluters do hardly anything for the transformational shift we need to deep emissions reductions to curtail the run to potentially irreversible climate change.
“If necessary and strongly enhanced climate finance and loss and damage support by the wealthy nations for the poorer countries were to be included also the various higher ranking European countries would be performing much lower in the scores,” he added.
