News Excerpt:

India has ranked 7th in the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2024, one move up from the previous year.

Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI): 

• The CCPI is an annual report that has been prepared since 2005 with the involvement of nearly 450 climate and energy experts.
• It is published by Germanwatch, CAN International and the New Climate Institute.
• It assesses each country’s performance in four categories (weightage in brackets)
  • Greenhouse Gas Emissions (40% )
  • Renewable Energy (20%)
  • Energy Use (20%)
  • Climate Policy (20%)

Highlights of CCPI 2024: 

• The first three ranks remained vacant, signifying how no country has been able to reach that threshold with their performance.
• Denmark retained the top spot (i.e. the 4th position) with a score of 75.59
• Estonia and the Philippines occupied the second and third spots this year, respectively, with a score of 72.07 and 70.70
• India’s score was 67.35 last year and has increased to 70.25 this year.
• Most developed countries dropped ranks compared to last year, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Italy, and others, showing the urgency of acting to counter climate change has yet not registered with them appropriately. 
• Saudi Arabia was at the bottom — 67th — in the performance list, while the host country, the United Arab Emirates, occupied 65th position.

Emissions peak:

• CCPI countries must have an emissions peak by 2025 to keep the 1.5°C goal in reach. Moreover, emissions must be halved by 2030 (vs 2020) levels.

• Despite the urgent need to decarbonize all sectors, Global greenhouse gases (GHG) have increased in 2022, and atmospheric CO2 is now 50% higher than pre-industrial levels. 

India - Population and Policy

• India received a high ranking in the GHG Emissions and Energy Use categories but a medium in Climate Policy and Renewable Energy.
• India was ranked 9th in GHG Emissions. 
• India was ranked 10th in Energy Use. 
• India was ranked 10th in Climate Policy.
• India was ranked 37th in Renewable Energy.
• While India is the world’s most populous country, it has relatively low per capita emissions. The data shows that in the per capita GHG category, the country is on track to meet a benchmark of well below 2°C. 
• India is trying to meet its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) with clear long-term policies that focus on promoting renewable Energy but India’s growing energy needs are still being met by its heavy reliance on coal, oil, and gas.

G20 Performance:

• India (7th), Germany (14th), and the EU (16th) are the only three G20 countries/regions are among the high performers in CCPI 2024. Fifteen G20 countries received an overall low or very low rankings. The G20 is particularly responsible for climate mitigation, as its members account for more than 75% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.
• Canada, Russia, Korea, and Saudi Arabia are still the G20’s worst-performing countries. 

EU performance: 

• Overall, the EU rose three spots to 16th and now has a high overall ranking.
• Fourteen EU countries are among the high and medium performers, with Denmark (4th) and Estonia (5th) leading the overall ranking.
• The Netherlands improved its performance in three of the four CCPI categories, up five spots to 8th and at a high level. 
• Italy, however, plunges 15 places to 44th, mainly due to its poorer ranking in the Climate Policy category as compared to the previous year.
• Poland (55th) is another EU country receiving a very low rating. 

Prelims PYQ

Q. "Momentum for Change: Climate Neutral Now" is an initiative launched by (UPSC 2018)

(a) The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

(b) The UNEP Secretariat

(c) The UNFCCC Secretariat

(d) The World Meteorological Organisation