In an annual ranking of climate change performance by countries, India has moved up two places due to its strengthened climate targets and announcement of a net-zero goal.
According to the latest Climate Change Performance Index published by Germanwatch, an independent development organization, India ranked eighth out of 59 countries and the European Union in climate action, which is better than most developed countries. According to the report, the United Kingdom ranks 11th, Germany 16th, and China and the United States rank 51st and 52nd, respectively. According to the assessment, Denmark and Sweden are the top performers this year.
The GHG Emissions and Energy Use rating is high, while Climate Policy and Renewable Energy are medium. According to the country’s 2030 emissions targets (compatible with a well-below 2-degree Celsius scenario), it is on track to meet the targets. A statement accompanying the index notes that the renewable energy pathway is not on its way to meeting the 2030 target.
In the NDC (nationally determined contributions), India has increased its climate targets since last year’s rankings and committed to a net zero target for 2070. In its upgraded NDC, India has committed to producing at least 50 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, an increase from 40 percent earlier. In addition, it is committed to making much more significant reductions in emissions intensity by 2030, by 45 percent compared to 2005 levels, rather than the 33-35 percent that was intended previously.
India’s climate actions, however, were still inconsistent with the 1.5 degree Celsius goal, according to the statement. It is anticipated that India will increase its oil and gas production by more than 5 percent by 2030. According to the report, this is incompatible with limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
As a result of the country’s continued dependence on coal and lack of clarity about long-term climate policies, China has dropped 13 places in the ratings this year. It was noted in the statement that China’s 2030 target for peaking its emissions was not in line with the global goal of keeping global temperatures well below 2 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels.
A recent announcement by the Biden administration has increased three spots in the rankings for the United States. The statement, however, states that many of the policies are not mandatory and that their implementation has been extremely slow.
The main shortcoming is that the US will not halt domestic fossil fuel extraction, and fossil fuel subsidies remain in place.
