Australia has ranked in the bottom 10 of high-emitting jurisdictions in the latest Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI).
Its ranking has climbed four spots this year.
Here’s what you need to know.
Background
The CCPI is an independent monitoring tool that analyses and compares the climate policies of 60 jurisdictions (mostly countries).
The subjects of the study make up about 92% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
The latest edition of the CCPI provides updates on climate policies enacted in the past 12 months.
Australia
Australia ranked 55 out of the 60 jurisdictions in the study.
Although four places higher than last year, it still remains in the ‘very low’ rating category.
The report said Australia’s new Government, which “promised more ambitious climate action”, contributed to a rise in the rankings.
The report also said Australia is the only jurisdiction in the G20 to improve its climate policy in 2022, including legislation that makes the emission targets for 2030 and 2050 legally binding.
However, the report is critical of Australia’s continued coal and gas mining, and subsidies for fossil fuel companies, saying these areas are compromising goals to minimise the effects of climate change.
Overall results
No jurisdictions were found to be doing enough to stop dangerous levels of climate change.
The best performers are Denmark and Sweden, which both maintained their spots at the top of the list from last year. Saudi Arabia and Iran made up the two worst performers on climate change.
The biggest climber in the last year is Estonia (up 23 spots to the 6th best spot), while China fell 13 spots this year (to 51st overall).
Swipe to see the best and worst climate change performers.
The top-three places on the list were left empty, as no jurisdiction achieved the ‘very high’ overall rating needed to be in the top-three. So while Denmark topped the list, it was still ranked 4th overall.
Here are the 10 best performing jurisdictions.
4. Denmark
5. Sweden
6. Chile
7. Morocco
8. India
9. Estonia
10. Norway
11. UK
12. Philippines
13. Netherlands
There were 14 jurisdictions found to have a ‘very low’ climate rating.
Here are the 10 worst performers.
54. Poland
55. Australia
56. Malaysia
57. Taiwan
58. Canada
59. Russia
60. South Korea
61. Kazakhstan
62. Saudi Arabia
63. Iran
Russia-Ukraine
The Russian invasion of Ukraine, which happened in February after the previous CCPI was published, also had an impact on this year’s rankings.
The report said that Russia has “undermined” climate change efforts through its invasion of Ukraine, due to war-related transport emissions.
It also flagged concern with governments expanding their uptake of non-renewables in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war, saying that public funds needed to be directed to clean energy sources.
