According to CCPI, reaching net-zero emissions is possible by 2040

The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) highlights the global gap in addressing the climate crisis, with no country earning a top ranking. Denmark leads, while COP29 faces EU criticism over weak climate finance goals.

According to the CCPI, a reduction of at least 65% by 2030 is possible for many countries. The “Paris Compatible Scenario” developed by Climate Analytics shows that it will be possible to achieve such a pathway with 63% renewables in the energy mix and 91% in electricity production by 2030, reaching a fully renewable electricity sector by 2035. Along this pathway, net-zero emissions could be achieved by 2040, solving both the energy and climate crisis.

But this track is incompatible with sticking to outdated approaches. This requires increased investment in renewables and energy efficiency, also through streamlining authorization processes for new installations.

The missing podium: nobody is doing enough

Striking at the CCPI are zero entries for top three positions, which goes on to indicate that indeed no country is adequately responding to the climate emergency to keep the warming of the globe below 1.5 °C or a critical threshold.

“This is an alarming signal,” said Jan Burck, one of the report’s authors. “Despite the rapid growth of renewables, the race against time continues. Far too many nations are extending their reliance on fossil fuels, especially natural gas, and their climate policies lack ambition.”

Denmark leads the rankings, but global efforts lag behind

Denmark retains a leading rank in fourth place due to its pronounced reductions and development of renewable energies. It is followed by the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, which are similarly on an upward path in their climate policies. Great Britain has surged upwards due to its improved climate protection and energy policy program.

Major fossil fuel producers and consumers, such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Iran, are at the very bottom of the list. China, the world’s largest emitter, has fallen to 55th place, while the United States remains stable at 57th.

The European Union as a bloc ranks 17th, with a wide disparity among member states. Notably, Germany shows a slowdown in progress despite being in the upper-middle tier.

COP29: EU rejects draft agreement

During the COP29 held in Baku, the European Union also showed great concern regarding the draft agreement presented by Azerbaijan. “The text is clearly unacceptable,” stated Wopke Hoekstra, the European Commissioner for Energy. “On mitigation, we cannot pretend that the previous COP never happened.”

The draft, meant to address the New Collective Quantified Goal of climate finance, did not provide a balanced compromise between developed and developing nations. The EU demands more clarity on the quantum and source of funds to help vulnerable countries in addressing the impacts of climate change.

On the financial side,” Hoekstra added, “what we need is a much better infrastructure. We also require more transparency on public financing for adaptation and on the elements we must include to arrive at a meaningful figure.

What’s wrong with the draft?

The EU has pointed to several critical issues in the draft presented by Azerbaijan:

• Lack of ambition: the text does not reflect the urgency of accelerating climate action, nor does it align with the goals of the Paris Agreement.
• Vague financial commitments: the draft fails to specify the overall funding target, or which countries should contribute and how much.
• Inadequate support for the most vulnerable countries: It does not provide adequate assurances to support developing countries in adapting to the impacts of climate change and in addressing losses and damages from extreme events.
• Unrelated items: The draft inculcates unrelated issues such as subsidies, response measures, and budgetary reforms.

In a nutshell, the EU describes the draft as “imbalanced, unworkable, and unacceptable” and urges Azerbaijan’s presidency to revise the text with more ambition and clarity on financial commitments.

“May I please urge you to step up leadership?” Hoekstra appealed to COP29 delegates. “Look at the world. Look at what is happening outside this room, in terms of climate disasters: in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and especially among our friends living on small islands, primarily in the Caribbean and Pacific.”