Most Nations Still Off Track to Meet 1.5°C Goals, New Climate Index Shows

The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2025 reveals a mixed global picture on climate mitigation progress, underscoring that despite rapid expansion in renewable energy deployment, most countries remain far from the emissions pathways required to limit warming to 1.5°C. According to the latest CCPI results, no country scored highly enough across all performance indicators to earn an overall “very high” rating, leaving the top three positions in the global ranking vacant. Denmark emerged as the best-performing nation in the index, placing fourth overall, followed closely by the Netherlands in fifth and the United Kingdom in sixth, reflecting relatively stronger outcomes in greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy growth and climate policy implementation  The European Union as a whole secured 17th place, with sixteen member states in the high or medium performance categories, although Bulgaria remained the lowest-ranking EU nation at 50th place. The CCPI assesses 64 entities, collectively responsible for over 90 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, through standardized criteria that evaluate emissions, energy use, renewable energy deployment, and policy frameworks.

The index highlights stark contrasts between countries, with several major emitters performing poorly. Iran (64th), Saudi Arabia (63rd), and Russia (62nd) received the lowest overall ratings, largely attributed to ongoing high fossil fuel dependence and weak mitigation policies (Indian Express, 2025). Among the world’s largest economies, China and the United States also ranked in the lower tiers of performance, reflecting a notable implementation gap in translating renewable energy expansion into comprehensive climate outcomes. India stood out among the higher performers at 10th place, in part due to relatively low per-capita emissions and rapidly growing renewable capacity, even though its overall score reflected medium performance across the index categories. The CCPI report emphasizes that, while most countries have adopted climate policies and renewable targets, the scale and pace of implementation remain insufficient to align national efforts with the objectives of the Paris Agreement, underscoring the need for deeper and faster actions to avert dangerous climate change.