COP29: Belgium slightly up in climate change performance ranking

This year, Belgium has moved up four places in the annual ranking of almost seventy countries in the fight against climate change. According to the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2025, drawn up by environmental NGOs, Belgium is now in 35th place.

The classification considers fourteen criteria, divided into four categories: greenhouse gas emissions, the use of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and climate policy.

National Climate Plan

Although Belgium has increased its target for limiting greenhouse gas emissions to 42.3 percent, this is still lower than the European obligation of -47 percent. And even as the effort to install more renewable energy is praised, analysts say “implementation issues” and “regulations” delay more ambitious results.

The NGOs are asking Belgium to develop a more ambitious National Climate Plan and an adaptation plan, which mainly focuses on flood protection, water management, and city resilience.

As always, the first three places in the ranking remain empty because no country can demonstrate climate performance that aligns with the Paris Climate Agreement.

Denmark scores best

However, Denmark scores the best, ranking fourth in the rankings for the fourth year in a row, followed by the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Saudi Arabia and Iran are in last place. The host country of the current climate summit, Azerbaijan, is not included in the list.

With Denmark and the Netherlands at the top of the CCPI, the EU (17th place) is in the upper middle field. Sixteen EU countries are among the high and medium performers, and, unlike in previous editions, no EU country receives an overall poor rating.

Biggest emitters

The world’s biggest emitter, China, ranks 55th in the CCPI, falling to a low level. Despite promising plans, trends, and measures, China remains heavily dependent on coal and lacks sufficient climate targets.

However, the country shows an unprecedented boom in renewables, and emissions appear to have almost peaked. The US, the second biggest emitter, remains in 57th place among the very low performers.

Methane…

Each year, the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) assesses the progress made by the most significant emitters regarding emissions, renewables, and climate policy. The 63 countries plus the European Union evaluated in the CCPI are responsible for 90% of global emissions.

Belgium may remain in the middle of the pack, but the country is nevertheless making efforts. On Tuesday, it signed a declaration with 34 other countries to reduce methane emissions from organic waste. The agreement will be included in the new National Climate Plans to be submitted next year.

…much more harmful than carbon dioxide

Belgium, South Korea, Japan, Russia, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom also signed the agreement. Together, they are responsible for 47 percent of methane emissions from organic waste.

After CO2, methane is the most important greenhouse gas responsible for global warming. Unlike CO2, however, it is a short-lived greenhouse gas, but in the short term, it is much more harmful than carbon dioxide.