Switzerland climbs two places to 24th in Climate Change Performance Index

Switzerland gains two places

Switzerland rose two places to 24th in the Climate Change Performance Index, an annual ranking of 64 countries and the European Union. The 2027 edition was presented on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, on the sidelines of the 31st UN climate conference (COP31) in Antalya, Turkey. Germanwatch and the New Climate Institute compile the index, which scores greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy expansion, energy consumption and climate policy. The countries and the EU covered together account for more than 90% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Despite the gain, Switzerland remains in the middle of the table.

Strong emissions scores, weak climate policy

Switzerland does comparatively well on emissions and energy consumption. Its climate policy draws harsher marks from experts. They expect the country to miss its target of cutting greenhouse gases by at least 50% by 2030. In their view, too few effective measures are being put in place at home. The federal government also leans too heavily on emission reductions abroad, a point WWF and Greenpeace pressed in a joint press release.

“Instead of relying on uncertain and unfair emissions reductions abroad, Switzerland must reduce its own emissions more rapidly within its own borders.”

Hofstetter is a climate protection and energy expert at WWF Switzerland.

How the index is built

The index weights greenhouse gas emissions at 40%, renewable energy at 20%, energy efficiency at 20% and climate policy at 20%, using around fifteen criteria. The assessment draws on about 500 energy and climate experts, many of them members of environmental NGOs affiliated with the Climate Action Network (CAN). The results show a pattern repeated from earlier years, with the top three places left empty.

Top places left empty

The top three places stay vacant, as in previous years. The reason given is that no country takes enough action to prevent dangerous climate change and fully meet the Paris Agreement targets. Denmark holds fourth place, ahead of Lithuania and Luxembourg. Among Switzerland's neighbours, France ranks 20th, Germany 25th, Austria 33rd and Italy 41st. At the bottom of the table sit Saudi Arabia, Russia, the United States and Iran.

Denmark4

France20

Switzerland24

Germany25

Austria33

Belgium38

Italy41

Denmark

4 rank

France

20 rank

Switzerland

24 rank

Germany

25 rank

Austria

33 rank

Belgium

38 rank

Italy

41 rank

Data from the article text

Belgium and the Flemish gap

Belgium slipped one place to 38th from 37th, according to the 7sur7 report on the ranking. It receives an overall "low" rating, with emissions and energy consumption rated "medium" and renewables and climate policy rated "low". The policy analysis finds a long-term transition strategy that is unclear and incomplete, and it points to a "lack of ambition" in Flanders that weakens the national energy and climate plan. Building renovation is too slow, transport emissions are rising despite the electrification of company cars, and there is no strategy to phase out fossil fuels. Renewables deployment is also still judged too slow.