Methodology behind the CCPI

CCPI 2026 evaluates and compares the climate protection performance of 63 countries and the European Union (EU), which collectively account for more than 90% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The graphic below shows the CCPI’s components. The CCPI aims to deliver a comprehensive and balanced evaluation of the diverse countries evaluated. It uses 14 indicators (outer circle) and the following four categories:

  • GHG Emissions (40% of overall score)
  • Renewable Energy (20% of overall score)
  • Energy Use (20% of overall score)
  • Climate Policy (20% of overall score)

Around 80% of the assessment of a country’s performance is based on quantitative data from the International Energy Agency (IEA), PRIMAP, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the national GHG inventories submitted to the UNFCCC. Due to data availability, past CCPI editions until 2022 were calculated using data recorded two years prior. Since the CCPI 2023 edition, with the help of PRIMAP, we have been able to use GHG emissions data with only a one-year time lag. This means that for the CCPI 2026, we are using GHG data from 2024 (relying on numerical methods and linear extrapolation). The Renewable Energy and Energy Use categories are calculated with data recorded in 2023, as this is the most recent data available.

The three quantitative categories GHG Emissions, Renewable Energy, and Energy Use are each defined by four indicators: Current Level, Past Trend, Well-Below-2°C Compatibility of the Current Level, and Well-Below-2°C Compatibility of the Countries’ 2030 Target.

The remaining 20% of the assessment is based on the CCPI’s globally unique Climate Policy section. With this category, the index covers the most recent developments in national climate policy frameworks. The quantitative data alone cannot project these.

This category’s indicators are National Climate Policy and International Climate Policy. The qualitative data for these indicators are assessed annually with a comprehensive questionnaire. A performance rating provided by climate and energy policy experts from the evaluated countries serves as the basis for this.

This category considers that climate protection measures taken by governments often take several years to impact GHG Emissions, Renewable Energy, and Energy Use, as depicted in the following graph: