No country earns an outstanding grade on climate action, and the 2023 Climate Change Performance Index confirms this. Spain sits 23rd among 60 assessed nations, accounting for 92% of global warming emissions. The country climbs 11 places since the last index, propelled in part by the Climate Change and Ecological Transition Act. It remains in the middle tier, while Denmark leads and the top three high-return spots stay unfilled for another year.
This annual ranking, now in its 18th edition, is produced by the NGOs GermanWatch and the European Climate Action Network with input from country experts. Spain’s performance reflects national efforts and ongoing assessments by researchers across regions.
The index evaluates four metrics: per-capita greenhouse gas emissions, total energy consumption, trends in renewable energy use, and national climate policies. No nation achieves a very high score across all areas. Denmark remains notably strong at 79.61 out of 100, followed by Norway at 73.28 out of 100.
Spain scores 58.59 out of 100 on the global scale. It ranks 17th among 62 countries for climate policy, 20th in emissions, 21st in energy use, and 30th in renewables. Analysts commend the momentum created by last year’s climate law and emphasize the need to phase out fossil fuel subsidies while boosting citizen involvement in renewable projects to support a fair ecological transition.
Suspended countries
China, Japan, the United States, Hungary, Poland, Australia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Canada, Russia, South Korea, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia and Iran fall into the red zone labeled “climate despair,” scoring under 50 on the index.
Included in the list of laggards are nine of the 16 largest fossil fuel producers, collectively extracting about 70% of global fossil fuels. With the exception of Canada, these nations show low or very low shares of renewable energy.
Chile is named the “champion” of the 2023 list. Since joining the index in 2020, it has risen due to low emissions per capita and recent measures aimed at reaching net zero by 2050, reflecting policy-driven progress.
Russia is labeled a “loser” for weak performance on the index, very low renewable energy penetration—roughly 3%—and the complicating factor of the war in Ukraine, which affects global energy dynamics.
G20 and EU tasks
The index sends a message to the Group of Twenty, the G20, which recently met in Bali and accounts for roughly 75% of global gas emissions. Only three G20 members rank among the top performers in 2023: India (8th), the United Kingdom (11th), and Germany (16th). Canada, Russia, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia show lower results.
The European Union is assessed as a bloc within the G20 framework. This year the EU’s ambition edges higher, moving up to 19th place and nudging toward a high classification.
Nine EU countries fall into the high or medium range, including Spain, which posted one of the strongest climbs within the bloc, followed by Estonia, which advanced markedly. France slipped, dropping 11 places to 28th in climate policy, while Hungary and Poland sit toward the back of the EU rankings.
Analysts welcome the push toward stronger Europe-wide climate targets but caution that commitments must align with the goal of capping global warming near 1.5°C. They argue for emissions pathways that reach zero within the EU by 2040 and note how diversification and infrastructure development abroad have intersected with energy security concerns amid geopolitical disruption. The overall decarbonization effort remains essential and ongoing.
You can reference the full report through the official publication of the Climate Change Performance Index by consulting credible sources and citations provided by research organizations. [Citation: Climate Change Performance Index 2023 report by GermanWatch and the European Climate Action Network]
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