Standing at the water’s edge in Nuuk, Greenland, last August, I watched enormous chunks of ice calve from a nearby glacier. The thunderous crack echoed across the fjord as another piece of the ancient ice sheet surrendered to warming temperatures. A local Inuit guide named Aviaja, who had brought me to this spot, spoke with a mix of resignation and resolve: “This is happening faster every year. The seasons we’ve known for generations are disappearing.”
That moment returned to me this week as the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) released its latest rankings of 63 countries responsible for over 90% of global emissions. As expected, Denmark claimed the top spot for the third consecutive year, while the United States languished near the bottom, ranking 57th overall.
What makes these rankings particularly striking isn’t just who tops the list, but the fact that no country performed well enough to claim the first, second, or third positions. These remained symbolically empty – a sobering reminder that even the world’s climate leaders are not doing enough to meet the Paris Agreement goals of limiting warming to 1.5°C.
The CCPI, produced annually by Germanwatch, NewClimate Institute and Climate Action Network, evaluates countries across four categories: greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy adoption, energy use efficiency, and climate policy implementation. It provides a transparent monitoring tool that helps citizens and organizations hold their governments accountable.
“The empty top spots send a clear message to world leaders that current efforts are insufficient,” says Jan Burck, senior advisor at Germanwatch and lead author of the index. “While we see progress in renewable energy deployment across many countries, overall emission reduction pathways remain far too slow.”
Denmark’s leadership position stems from its ambitious climate policies, including a target to reduce emissions by 70% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. The country has also made remarkable progress in transitioning to renewable energy, with wind power alone accounting for nearly half of its electricity generation in 2022, according to Denmark’s Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities.
Following Denmark in the rankings are the United Kingdom, Netherlands, and Sweden – all European nations that have adopted binding climate legislation and shown measurable progress in reducing emissions. But even these frontrunners have significant room for improvement, particularly in phasing out fossil fuel subsidies and accelerating the transition away from natural gas.
The bottom ranks are populated by familiar faces – petrostate economies dependent on fossil fuel extraction. Saudi Arabia anchors the very bottom at 63rd place, joined by Iran (62nd) and Russia (61st). The United States’ dismal 57th-place showing represents a slight improvement from previous years but still reflects inconsistent federal climate policies and continued fossil fuel expansion.
When I spoke with Lutz Weischer, head of policy at Germanwatch, he emphasized that the rankings reveal more than just environmental performance. “Countries leading in climate action are increasingly seeing economic benefits. They’re building resilient infrastructure, creating green jobs, and reducing energy dependence,” he explained. “The laggards risk being left behind in the global transition to a low-carbon economy.”
This economic dimension is particularly relevant as we see emerging economies like India (19th) and China (51st) taking divergent paths. India has made significant strides in renewable energy deployment, installing over 13 gigawatts of solar capacity in 2022 alone, according to the International Energy Agency. Meanwhile, China continues to dominate clean energy manufacturing while simultaneously building new coal plants at home and abroad.
What struck me most when analyzing this year’s rankings is how they challenge simplistic narratives about which nations are climate leaders. Wealthy European countries may top the list, but they also bear historical responsibility for emissions and continue to outsource carbon-intensive manufacturing. The index attempts to account for this by examining both domestic emissions and consumption-based carbon footprints.
For Canada, which placed a disappointing 56th, just ahead of the United States, the message is particularly relevant. Despite Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s climate rhetoric, Canada remains one of the world’s highest per-capita emitters and continues to approve new fossil fuel projects like the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.
Last month, I visited the Blueberry River First Nations territory in northeastern British Columbia, where Chief Judy Desjarlais showed me how industrial development has fragmented traditional lands. “We want sustainable development that respects our treaty rights and protects the land for future generations,” she told me. “Climate action can’t just be something that happens elsewhere.”
The CCPI findings align with what I’ve witnessed reporting across northern communities – climate policies must be both ambitious and just. Countries that engage Indigenous peoples and vulnerable communities in climate planning tend to develop more effective and equitable approaches.
Looking ahead, the index authors note that the 2023 Conference of Parties (COP28) in Dubai could prove pivotal. “This year’s climate summit must deliver concrete commitments to phase out fossil fuels and substantially increase climate finance for developing nations,” says Stephan Singer from Climate Action Network International.
As I reflect on that melting glacier in Greenland and the rankings that show no country deserving of a top-three position, I’m reminded that climate performance isn’t just about policies on paper – it’s about transformative action that matches the scale of the crisis. The index serves as both a warning and a roadmap, showing where we stand and how far we still need to go.
For citizens worldwide, these rankings offer a tool to hold governments accountable and push for more ambitious climate action. Because as Aviaja reminded me as we watched that ancient ice collapse into the sea, what’s at stake isn’t just statistics and rankings, but the very world we’ll pass on to future generations.
