Switzerland has fallen further down the order in the latest Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) from WWF and Greenpeace. The study argued that the Swiss government is failing to adequately address the crisis, as the world braces for the hottest year on record.

Climate Change Performance Index 2024

To create the CCPI, the two environmental organisations ranked the 63 countries around the world, which produce 90 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, by their efforts to combat climate change. 14 different indicators were used to give ratings in four separate weighted categories:

• Greenhouse gas emissions (40 percent weighting)
• Renewable energy (20 percent weighting)
• Energy use (20 percent weighting)
• Climate policy (20 percent weighting)

Using scores across the categories, each country was given a final overall rating out of 100. Crucially, the top three positions in the CCPI are left empty as a symbol of the fact that no country in the world is currently doing enough to prevent catastrophic global warming - the UN predicts that 2024 will be the hottest on record, breaking the 1,5-degree target for global warming.

Denmark, Netherlands and UK top 2024 climate ranking

That said, the top of the ranking this year was occupied by Denmark thanks to the country’s ambitious goals and climate policies. In 2022, the Danish government announced plans to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2045 instead of 2050, and will implement a new tax on emissions from livestock from 2030. The nation also takes a central role in negotiating climate treaties.

Thanks to its focus on renewable energy and the government’s commitment to cutting emissions by 55 percent by 2030, the Netherlands rose to take the fourth position for 2024. The United Kingdom and the Philippines rounded out the top seven spots. 

By contrast, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates placed bottom this year. Iran remains one of the few countries that hasn’t signed up to the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change and has one of the highest greenhouse gas emissions per capita in the world. 

Switzerland is cautious and slow to combat climate change, says report

For 2024, Switzerland has dropped 12 places compared to 2023, now placing 33rd in the world. While the alpine nation scored well when it came to greenhouse gas emissions and energy use, scores for renewable energy and climate policy leave much to be desired.

Specifically, the report took aim at the Swiss government’s “standstill” on climate change. As it stands, the report said the country is "guaranteed" to miss its climate goals. While Switzerland has signed up to the same net zero emissions targets as other European countries, federal officials have struggled to get climate initiatives past parliament and the people.

This was most apparent when Swiss voters rejected the CO2 law in June 2021. The proposal would have required that the country halve carbon emissions compared to 1990 levels by 2030. The amended CO2 Act, passed by parliament in March 2024, would only lead to a reduction of between 30 and 35 percent.

Though the passing of the Climate Law in 2023 and the Energy Supply Act in 2024 will make it easier for Switzerland to meet its emissions targets, the country remains politically ambivalent about climate change. This was seen most clearly in the muted reaction to the European Court of Human Rights ruling in April 2024, which ruled in favour of 2.500 senior women who complained the government was breaking its climate targets and had not protected them from global warming.

While lawmakers continue to debate the merits and sacrifices of climate policies, the alpine nation is already seeing global warming in action. As Swiss glaciers continue to shrink and the risk of heatwaves becomes more likely, a 2023 study from the University of Oxford warned that Switzerland will be one of the worst affected by rising average temperatures.

Swiss energy sector should push for more renewables, report argues

The report also took aim at the Swiss energy sector for being sluggish in embracing wind and solar power. While only a tiny amount of fossil fuels are used in local energy production, the alpine nation imports most of its power from abroad, with most coming from non-renewable sources. 

“Swiss banks and insurance companies are also financing fossil fuel production abroad,” the CCPI added. The fact that Albert Rösti (SVP), a former oil lobbyist, is now Environment Minister also didn’t benefit Switzerland in the report.

Which countries are doing the most to combat climate change?

In all, here are the countries in the world doing the most to combat climate change:

1.  
2.  
3.  
4. Denmark
5. The Netherlands
6. United Kingdom
7. Philippines
8. Morocco
9. Norway
10. India

For more information, and to see how other nations compared, check out the full list.

Thumb image credit: Mor65_Mauro Piccardi / Shutterstock.com