**Executive Summary**
This document summarizes the Indian government's response to a parliamentary question regarding India's ranking in the 2026 Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI). The Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change addresses concerns about India's decline in ranking, outlines measures taken to address climate change, and confirms the submission of updated climate targets to the UN. The question was addressed on December 8, 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **CCPI Ranking:** India's position in the CCPI 2026 is rank 23, as reported by Germanwatch.
* **Government Stance on External Rankings:** The Government does not recognize external rankings as a basis for domestic policy formulation. India's climate actions are guided by nationally determined priorities.
* **Measures Undertaken:** India has undertaken measures including:
* Rapid expansion of renewable energy capacity.
* Reduction in emissions intensity of GDP.
* Enhancement of energy efficiency programmes.
* Promotion of e-mobility, green hydrogen and sustainable lifestyles.
* **Forward-Looking Measures:** These include:
* Implementation of the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
* Phased transition plans notified for key sectors under PAT and energy-efficiency programmes.
* Ongoing implementation of the National Solar Mission and National Wind Energy Mission.
* State-level climate action plans.
* Initiatives under LiFE to promote sustainable consumption.
* **Updated NDC:** India has submitted its updated NDC to the UNFCCC. The updated NDC outlines voluntary actions for transitioning towards a low-carbon pathway.
* **Updated NDC Major Elements:**
* Reduction of emission intensity of GDP by 45% by 2030 from the 2005 level.
* Achieving about 50% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil-fuel-based sources by 2030.
* Promotion of climate-friendly lifestyles under the LiFE initiative.
* **Achievements:**
* Achieved 36% reduction in emission intensity of GDP between 2005 and 2020.
* Over 50% of its installed electric capacity from non-fossil fuel sources well ahead of schedule.
* India has reached 2.29 billion tonnes of additional carbon sink as against the target of 2.5 to 3.0 billion tonnes by 2030.
* **Long-Term Low-Carbon Development Strategies (LT-LEDS):** India submitted its LT-LEDS to the UNFCCC in November 2022, reaffirming the goal of reaching net-zero by 2070.
* **Continued Efforts:** India continues to expand renewable energy deployment, promote green hydrogen, and implement large-scale energy-efficiency measures.
**Impact Analysis**
**Government of India**
* **Impact:** Required to address concerns about climate change performance, formulate and implement climate policies, and meet international commitments.
* **Action Required:** Continue implementing existing climate action plans, develop new initiatives, and track progress towards achieving NDCs and the net-zero target.
**Independent Agencies (e.g., Germanwatch)**
* **Impact:** Their rankings and assessments influence public perception and inform international discussions on climate action.
* **Action Required:** Continue to assess and report on the climate performance of different countries, using transparent and robust methodologies.
**United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)**
* **Impact:** Receives and monitors India's NDC and LT-LEDS, facilitates international cooperation on climate change.
* **Action Required:** Review India's submissions, track progress against commitments, and provide support for implementation.
**Indian Citizens**
* **Impact:** Potentially affected by the impacts of climate change, as well as by policies and initiatives to address climate change.
* **Action Required:** Adopt sustainable lifestyles, support government efforts to address climate change.
Key Entities Referenced
Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI): An index used to track the climate protection performance of different countries.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change: The primary Indian ministry responsible for environmental regulation and climate change policy.
Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC): India's commitment, under the UNFCCC, to reduce emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC): The international treaty under which countries commit to reduce climate change.
National Green Hydrogen Mission: An Indian government initiative to promote the production and use of green hydrogen.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1285
TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.12.2025
Climate Change Performance Index
1285. SHRI CHAMALA KIRAN KUMAR REDDY:
SHRI K E PRAKASH:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to
state:
(a) whether the Government is aware that India has fallen 13 places to Rank 23 in the 2026
Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) and if so, the reasons therefor along with the
response of the Government thereto;
(b) whether the Government has introduced or proposes to introduce any interim milestones
or new plans to address these concerns and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government has submitted updated climate targets to United Nations (U.N)
which spells out its voluntary actions towards transitioning away from using fossil fuel and
improving energy efficiency use; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor along with the time by when such
details are likely to be submitted?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a) India’s position in the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2026 has been
reported as rank 23 by the independent agency- Germanwatch which publishes the CCPI. The
variations in annual CCPI rankings are based on their own methodology and weightage
assigned to parameters such as greenhouse-gas emissions trajectory, renewable-energy share,
energy use trends, and climate policy assessments.
The Government, however, does not recognise any external ranking as a basis for domestic
policy formulation, as India’s climate actions are guided by nationally determined priorities
and developmental needs. India has undertaken several measures including rapid expansion of
renewable energy capacity, reduction in emissions intensity of GDP, enhancement of energy
efficiency programmes, and promotion of e-mobility, green hydrogen and sustainable
lifestyles.(b) to (d) The Government has already announced a series of forward-looking measures under
various national missions and schemes to address climate concerns. These include:
Implementation of the National Green Hydrogen Mission,
Phased transition plans notified for key sectors under PAT (Perform, Achieve and
Trade) and energy-efficiency programmes,
Ongoing implementation of the National Solar Mission and National Wind Energy
Mission,
State-level climate action plans, and
Initiatives under LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) to promote sustainable consumption.
These actions constitute interim milestones aligned with India’s Nationally Determined
Contribution (NDC) commitments.
India has already submitted its updated NDC to the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC). The updated NDC outlines voluntary actions for transitioning
towards a low-carbon pathway, including increasing the share of non-fossil-fuel-based energy
and reducing the emissions intensity of GDP.
The updated NDC contains the following major elements:
Reduction of emission intensity of GDP by 45% by 2030 from the 2005 level,
Achieving about 50% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil-
fuel-based sources by 2030,
Promotion of climate-friendly lifestyles under the LiFE initiative.
India has achieved 36% reduction in emission intensity of Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
between 2005 and 2020, and over 50% of its installed electric capacity from non-fossil fuel
sources well ahead of schedule. Additionally, the current assessment (ISFR 2023) shows that
India’s carbon stock has reached 30.43 billion tonnes of CO equivalent; which indicates that
2
as compared to the base year of 2005, India has already reached 2.29 billion tonnes of additional
carbon sink as against the target of 2.5 to 3.0 billion tonnes by 2030. Further, India submitted
its Long-Term Low-Carbon Development Strategies (LT-LEDS) to the UNFCCC in November
2022, which reaffirms the goal of reaching net-zero by 2070.
Furthermore, India continues to expand renewable energy deployment, promote green
hydrogen, and implement large-scale energy-efficiency measures as part of its long-term
climate and clean-energy strategy.
******