Climate Change Performance Index

Context in Current Affairs: The Global Climate Change Performance Index was recently released by the New Climate Institute, Germanwatch and CAN (Climate Action Network). The index has been rating the fifty-seven greenhouse emitters in the world since 2005. These countries account to 90% of global emissions. The index aims to enable comparison of mitigation efforts, enhance transparency in international climate politics.

Key Findings

India remained in the top ten in the Climate Change Performance Index for the second consecutive year. China, one of the largest contributors of greenhouse gases ranked 33^rd. In 2020, India slid a position to the tenth. India was at 31^st rank in 2014.

According to the index, only two G20 countries India and UK were among the high rankers. The rest of the six such as Saudi Arabia, USA, South Korea, Australia and Russia were at the bottom of the index.

None of the countries were in top three ranks. This was because none of the countries were in the path of meeting their Paris Agreement commitment. Sweden was at fourth place followed by UK, Denmark, Morocco, Norway, Chile.

About the Index

The index is prepared by assessing the performance of fifty-seven countries in four categories namely renewable energy, GHG emissions, climate policy and energy use.

India’s responses to Climate Change

• India launched the National Action Plan on Climate Change to address climate adaptation and climate mitigation
• The National Clean Energy Fund was launched in 2010 to promote clean energy initiatives.
• India made three commitments under Paris Agreement
  • The Greenhouse Gas Emissions of India will be reduced by 33% to 35% by 2030 below to that of 2005 levels.
  • 40% of power capacity of India will be based on non-fossil fuel sources.
  • India will create a carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent additional forest cover by 2030.
• India founded International Solar Alliance at the United Nations Climate Change Conference.

Month: Current Affairs - December, 2020