Climate Change Performance Index 2021: Still no country good enough; EU stands at a crossroads

The Climate Change Performance Index 2021 finds that no country is currently on a path compliant with the Paris Agreement goals. While the EU improved its ranking to 16th place and countries like Sweden, the UK, and Denmark lead, major G20 emitters including the USA, Saudi Arabia, and Russia are rated 'very low'. The report highlights a divide between high-performing smaller nations and developing countries like Morocco, Chile, and India, and the lowest-performing fossil fuel producing nations.

• No single country is currently meeting the targets set by the Paris Agreement, and the top three positions of the CCPI index remain empty because of this.
• The European Union's overall ranking improved from 22nd to 16th place, primarily due to better rated climate policy, though performance varies significantly between member states; Scandinavian countries and Portugal rank high, while Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic are laggards.
• A significant portion of G20 members are poor performers, with the USA, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Australia, South Korea, and Russia all receiving a 'very low' rating.
• Sweden is the highest-ranked country (4th place) for the fourth consecutive year, leading in climate policy, renewable energy, and greenhouse gas emissions, though its high per capita energy consumption limits its score.
• The USA is ranked last for the second consecutive year, receiving 'very low' ratings in all categories except renewable energy, and is one of only three countries—alongside Australia and Algeria—to receive the worst rating for both national and international climate policy.

APA

NewClimate Institute (2020). Climate Change Performance Index 2021: Still no country good enough; EU stands at a crossroads. https://newclimate.org/resources/publications/climate-change-performance-index-2021

Chicago

NewClimate Institute. Climate Change Performance Index 2021: Still no country good enough; EU stands at a crossroads. 2020. https://newclimate.org/resources/publications/climate-change-performance-index-2021.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=NewClimate Institute |title=Climate Change Performance Index 2021: Still no country good enough; EU stands at a crossroads |date=7 December 2020 |url=https://newclimate.org/resources/publications/climate-change-performance-index-2021 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{newclimateinstitute2020climate, author = {{NewClimate Institute}}, title = {{Climate Change Performance Index 2021: Still no country good enough; EU stands at a crossroads}}, institution = {NewClimate Institute}, year = {2020}, month = dec, url = {https://newclimate.org/resources/publications/climate-change-performance-index-2021}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }