India Slips Five Places To 28th In 2026 Climate Change Performance Index

India has dropped five places to rank 28th in the 2026 Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), released on Wednesday at the 2026 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Turkey.

The index tracks the climate mitigation performance of 64 countries and the European Union (EU), covering more than 90% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It compares countries' efforts and progress across four categories: GHG emissions, renewable energy, energy use and climate policy.

No country performed well enough across all four categories to secure an overall 'very high' rating, according to the report.

The report presented a mixed picture of India's climate performance. The country retained a medium rating in GHG emissions, energy use and climate policy. However, it flagged weaknesses in renewable energy integration, particularly power curtailment and inadequate storage capacity.

"Its high Renewable Energy trend rating recognises the recent progress within the Renewable Energy category," the report stated.

Top Rankings In 2026 Index

The first three positions in the 2026 index have been left vacant, as no country met the criteria for an overall 'very high' rating.

Denmark ranked fourth with a score of 84.05, followed by Lithuania at fifth with 74.03 and Luxembourg at sixth with 72.03.

The European Union ranked 19th with a score of 64.18.

India's Performance Across Four Categories

India's performance varied across the four categories assessed by the index. It ranked 13th in climate policy, 33rd in energy use, 40th in renewable energy and 31st in GHG emissions.

The report acknowledged that India's renewable energy expansion had exceeded its targets. However, it pointed to challenges in managing excess renewable power generation and the country's limited storage capacity.

"The experts identify a mismatch between renewable energy deployment and transmission, distribution, and storage development," the report stated.