Denmark, the Netherlands and the UK have taken the lead in an annual climate performance ranking released at COP29 today.

The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) assesses 63 countries plus the European Union, collectively responsible for 90 per cent of global emissions. The ranking from Germanwatch, NewClimate Institute and CAN International looks at progress made by the biggest emitters on emissions, renewables and climate policy.

The index’s authors say that no country’s policies earned the first three spots on the podium. Denmark was the top-ranked country in fourth place as the only nation to achieve a high-performance rating for its climate policy.

It is followed by the Netherlands in fifth – though the CCPI authors note that the country’s new government does not bode well for climate policy.

A rising star of this year’s ranking is the UK in sixth place. It was the index’s biggest climate following a coal phase-out and a government pledge against new licenses for fossil fuel projects.

Too many countries are still clinging to fossil fuels

The CCPI shows that renewable energy is making rapid progress in almost every high-emitting country. However, too many countries are still clinging to prolonging the fossil fuels business model, especially for gas.

The world’s biggest emitters, China and the US, ranked very low. Among G20 nations – which account for 75 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions – only the UK and India were high performers.

“One glaring story that is coming out of the CCPI is that progressive targets, coupled with policies, really are the foundation on which countries can transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy,” Janet Milongo, senior manager for energy transition at Climate Action Network International told a press conference at COP29 this morning.

“This coupled with highest amounts of energy efficiency, reduction greenhouse gas emissions … would provide a cleaner, more affordable flexible energy systems.”

This is why Denmark is leading the pack, according to Germanwatch’s Jan Burck, author of the CCPI.

“Denmark is really good when it comes to a steady and comprehensive climate policy. It has managed to reduce its emissions by nearly 60 per cent since 1990 and has strong targets and good renewable deployments.”

How did EU member states perform on climate?

With Denmark and the Netherlands at the top of the ranking, the EU as a whole is in the upper middle of the index.

There are 16 EU countries among the high and medium performers and – unlike in previous editions – there are no member states with an overall very low rating.

The bloc slipped down one spot in the rankings but has made major progress on climate protection – spurred on by the Green Deal. Measures, however, don’t yet amount to a fair share of global greenhouse gas emissions cuts.

CCPI co-author Professor Niklas Höhne from the NewClimate Institute said we now need “strong leadership” from the EU and its member states – “especially with a new US President Trump”. The index’s authors have called on the bloc to fulfil commitments to phase out oil and gas subsidies by 2025 and stop financing fossil fuels.

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There are some individual EU states that have slipped down the ranking too. Germany, the largest economy in the bloc, moved down two places.

“Although considerable progress has been made in renewables, the political inaction in the transport and building sectors still leads to high emissions,” said co-author of the CCPI, Thea Uhlich.

“Climate action in Germany and the EU should not be sidelined by the current global political developments, particularly in climate finance.”

Fossil fuels and energy inequity show worrying trends

Milongo pointed out at COP29 today that it is “no coincidence” the worst-performing countries in the ranking are the largest fossil fuel producers. Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Russia – all big oil and gas producers – rank at the bottom.

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Burck said there is still massive resistance from the fossil fuel lobby on renewables but “countries should not fall deeper into the fossil fuel trap”.

“Another interesting story there is that you cannot be ramping up your renewables and still producing fossil fuels. It doesn’t work,” Milongo said.

The world’s biggest emitter China ranks 55th in the CCPI despite promising plans, trends and measures. This is because it remains heavily dependent on coal and lacks sufficient climate targets. China is, however, experiencing an unprecedented boom in renewable energies and emissions appear to have almost peaked.

Another worrying trend from the index is one of energy inequity.

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“It is unacceptable that the Netherlands, for example, has more solar power installed than the whole of Africa,” Milongo added.

“Leaving any peoples or countries behind in the transition results in injustice and frustrates the achievement of global goals. Public grant-based finance is critical to ensure a rapid, just and equitable transition to renewables for all.”