The top two emitters, China and the US, are still in very low places at 55th and 57th respectively as per the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI 2025) report which was presented at the annual UN climate conference. The top three spots are empty followed by Denmark in fourth place and the Netherlands in fifth.
The CCPI monitors the development of the biggest polluters in the world with regard to emissions, renewables and climate policy. It is published by the think tanks Germanwatch, New Climate Institute, and Climate Action Network International.
Ninety percent of global emissions are caused by the 63 nations and the European Union that are included in the CCPI.
The only two G20 nations with strong CCPI performance are India and the United Kingdom.
India is still one of the top achievers coming in at number ten in this year’s CCPI even though they fell two spots from the previous year.
Since no nation did well enough in all index categories to receive an overall “very high” rating, the study leaves the top three spots unfilled.
One of the biggest setbacks this year is Argentina (59th) which withdrew from COP29 and may withdraw from the 2015 Paris Agreement. Contrary to the agreement of scientists, its recently elected president rejects the idea that climate change is caused by human activity.
Denmark is ranked first though technically fourth followed by the UK and the Netherlands. According to the report, the UK this year’s great climber benefited from its phase out of coal and the government’s promise to stop awarding new licences for fossil fuel projects.
The largest emitter in the world, China drops to a very low ranking of 55th. The largest economy in Asia is still largely dependent on coal and does not have enough climate targets despite encouraging plans, trends and actions.
The United States which is the second largest emitter remains at number 57 among the very poor performers. And the future will be more questionable when the President elect Trump takes the office in January as he called Climate issues a “Hoax”.
Among the world’s top producers of gas and oil, the four lowest ranked nations in the CCPI are Russia (64th), Saudi Arabia (66th), Iran (67th) and the United Arab Emirates (65th).
In this CCPI report 2025 Ukraine is emitted as it is not rated because of the Russian Invasion
