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India & Japan Flunk Global Health Climate Score
15 Oct
Summary
- India and Japan scored two out of 32 points in a global climate health assessment.
- Colombia led the ranking with 29 points, followed by Nigeria and Cambodia.
- India's climate plan inadequately addresses health impacts and air pollution concerns.
A recent global assessment of climate action plans has revealed that India and Japan are among the weakest performers in integrating health considerations. Released on Wednesday, the 2026 Healthy NDC Scorecard by the Global Climate and Health Alliance evaluated 117 national climate plans. India and Japan each received a score of only two out of a possible 32 points.
Colombia achieved the highest score with 29 points, followed by Nigeria and Cambodia, indicating a trend where 19 of the top 20 scores were from low- and middle-income countries. The assessment specifically noted that India's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) recognizes health as vulnerable but fails to adequately address health impacts or the health benefits of climate action. Critically, India's NDC does not mention air pollutants, a significant oversight given the country's high air pollution death rate.
India's updated NDCs for 2031-35, approved in March this year, commit to reducing emissions intensity of GDP by 47% by 2035 and increasing non-fossil fuel electricity capacity to 60%. However, the analysis suggests these ambitions are insufficient to protect health. Globally, the report also flagged a lack of action on black carbon, a pollutant contributing to both global heating and air pollution, with only five countries setting targets for its reduction.
