COP30: Portugal Advances Three Positions in the Climate Performance Index and Reaches 12th Place

Portugal climbed three places in the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI 2026) released at COP30 in Belém, now ranking 12th — effectively, the 9th, since the top three spots remain vacant as no country is aligned with 1.5°C. This advancement confirms a consistent trajectory, but there are still clear challenges, especially in transport.

If you are looking for quick guidance, the following table summarizes the essentials and points out practical paths you can apply in your home, building, and community.

COP30: Portugal Advances Three Positions in the Climate Performance Index and Reaches 12th Place — What Changes in Practice

The CCPI assesses 63 countries plus the European Union, covering about 90% of global emissions. Portugal’s rise reflects progress in mitigation, a declining per capita emissions profile, and policies that have begun to bear fruit in the electrical system. However, the panel remains demanding: the top three spots remain empty because no country fully meets the trajectory of 1.5°C.

Among the leaders, Denmark maintains the lead thanks to consistent climate policy and the momentum of offshore renewables. The United Kingdom rises to 5th place after completing the phase-out of coal, although it needs to accelerate the pace of onshore renewables and storage. In 6th, Morocco shows very low per capita emissions, robust investment in public transport, and a new climate target for 2035, reinforcing regional ambition.

Portugal received a high rating in greenhouse gas emissions, and an average rating in energy use, renewables, and climate policy. The message is clear: the direction is right, but more consistency is needed — especially regarding carbon pricing and the phased elimination of fossil fuel subsidies.

To make this tangible, consider the metaphor of a house: the structure (the electrical system) is solid and becoming cleaner; however, heat losses (inefficient final consumption) and mobility habits (fossil road transport) still “leak” energy and increase the environmental bill. Aligning these elements represents the difference between a 12th place and a real top-5.

Ranking in Focus and Quick Reading

A comparative reading helps contextualize Portugal’s advancement. Below is a synthetic picture of positions and key signals highlighted by independent organizations monitoring the CCPI.

• 🌟 Correct interpretation: the 12th place confirms progress but highlights clear room for improvement in efficiency and mobility.
• 🚦 Immediate priority: stabilize the carbon price signal to guide correct investments.
• 🧭 Practical goal: align national targets with 1.5°C, translating them into visible local projects.

Final insight: moving up the ranking is a consequence; the cause is called consistency — in law, in carbon pricing, and in day-to-day decisions.

CCPI 2026: Why Portugal Climbed Three Positions and Where It Still Needs to Accelerate

The Portuguese advancement is due to a combination of factors: a larger share of renewables in the electrical mix, the closure of coal-fired power plants, and programs that promote the energy rehabilitation of buildings. This is complemented by a growing culture of self-consumption with photovoltaics and the replacement of boilers with heat pumps. The result is a cleaner emissions profile, especially in the electricity sector.

Despite these positive signs, the CCPI ranks the country as medium in renewables and energy use. The practical translation: electricity production has progressed, but final consumption — buildings, light industry, and mobility — still consumes excess energy, often from fossil sources. Climate policy, meanwhile, was rated as average due to some inconsistency in carbon pricing and the persistence of subsidies and exemptions for fossil fuels.

There is also a tax and regulatory concern: the recent reduction of taxes on petroleum products weakened the economic signal necessary to guide the transition. Intensive sectors, such as oil refining and cement, need predictability to invest in low-carbon technologies. Without a stable and increasing carbon price, investment lags.

Three Engines of Progress Already Working

What is working deserves to be scaled up. In several cities, energy cooperatives have installed photovoltaic panels on school rooftops and parish councils, reducing operational costs and emissions. Support programs for efficient windows and thermal insulation have reduced losses, improving comfort in old apartments without altering historic facades.

In industry, part of ceramic and food production is shifting to electric heat and sustainable biomass, with payback periods of 4 to 7 years when combined with active energy management and thermal storage.

• 🧱 Buildings: prioritize insulation of roofs and facades, A+ windows, and air tightness.
• 🌞 Energy: self-consumption photovoltaics with micro-storage to reduce peaks.
• 🔥 Heating: well-sized heat pumps and smart control.
• 🗺️ Planning: simple energy audits to identify “quick wins”.

Final insight: consolidating this rise requires doubling the speed of solutions that have already proven effective on the ground.

Transport and Carbon Price: The Achilles’ Heel That Can Transform 12th Into Top 5

Transport emissions continue to rise, with an increase of about 7% in 2023 and accounting for approximately 29% of the national total in 2022. The solution is not a silver bullet, but a coherent package: electric mobility scaling up, reliable public transport, safe cycling networks, zero-emission urban logistics, and a stable carbon price signal that favors clean choices.

Fiscal consistency is decisive. When the price of fossil fuels is artificially cushioned, the compass that guides families and businesses to invest in more efficient solutions is lost. At the same time, subsidies and exemptions prolong dependencies and delay innovation. A policy that aligns incentives, tariffs, and measurable targets builds trust — and that is what accelerates change.

Concrete Measures with Quick Effects

In cities, continuous BUS corridors and traffic light priority increase the operational speed of buses, reducing travel times and emissions. For companies, converting last-mile fleets to electric vehicles eliminates noise and pollution where people live. In metropolitan areas, well-connected dissuasive parks and integrated passes make public transport the logical choice.

On a national level, railway electrification, modernization of regional services, and the reactivation of lines with cargo potential relieve highways and reduce logistics costs. Morocco’s experience with rapid corridors and Nordic countries with cargo bikes show that different scales can yield compounded results.

• 🚲 For you: try an “electric week” with a shared cargo bike or monthly pass — there are immediate gains.
• 🔌 In the condominium: install pre-wiring for charging in the garage; increases property value.
• 📊 At the company: annual fleet renewal target and telematics to reduce empty kilometers.
• 🛑 Avoid: relying on incentives without a stable calendar; plan with a horizon of 5–10 years.

Independent organizations estimate that more effective action in key sectors like transport could save 16 billion euros by 2030 and prevent over 1,300 premature deaths per year — numbers with difficult-to-ignore human and economic impacts.

By moving from intentions to concrete projects with timelines and public targets, transport can shift from being an Achilles’ heel to becoming an urban competitive advantage.

Efficient Homes and Clean Energy: How Your Home Can Consolidate Portugal’s Strong Performance

The residential sector is a silent lever. Well-insulated buildings, efficient heat pumps, and photovoltaics reduce consumption and protect family budgets against energy volatility. In Portugal, traditional architecture offers opportunities: thick walls, patios, and shading that, with small improvements, achieve remarkable comfort with less energy.

Consider the case of “Sara and Miguel,” in a 1990s T3 in Braga. The replacement of windows with A+ class, the insulation of the roof, and the installation of a 5 kW heat pump, combined with 3.6 kWp of photovoltaics, cut the electricity bill by over 40% and reduced gas use to nearly zero. The payback came in 6–7 years, accelerated by simple habits like thermostat adjustments and thermal curtains.

Practical Steps for Any Type of Home

Whether you live in an apartment or a house, the sequence matters: first reduce losses, then optimize equipment, and finally, produce energy locally. This order maximizes the effect of each euro invested and avoids costly oversizing.

• 🧭 Winning sequence: seal → insulate → replace equipment → produce energy.
• 📱 Control: programmable thermostats and real-time monitoring avoid waste.
• 🤝 Condos: energy communities to supply common services (elevators, garages).
• 📚 Resources: find guides and checklists at Ecopassivehouses.pt to plan the work.

In a country with abundant sun and moderate winters, efficient homes are the most direct way to turn climate ambition into daily comfort and lighter bills.

When the home becomes efficient, every saved kWh is a victory that repeats every month — and that counts in the CCPI.

Portugal in the CCPI in International Perspective: Lessons from Denmark, Morocco, and the G20

The global picture of the CCPI 2026 reveals contrasts. Despite the positive European push, many G20 countries are displaying very low performance. With the exception of the United Kingdom, ten key economies remain at the bottom, hindering the planet’s 1.5°C trajectory and pressuring all others to do more.

China, the world’s largest emitter, climbed to 54th place, still far below what is necessary. India suffered one of the largest drops and is now in 23rd place, penalized by increasing emissions and energy consumption and lacking a concrete plan to move away from coal. The United States fell eight positions and now ranks third from the bottom, right behind Russia. The last places belong to Saudi Arabia and Iran, major oil and gas producers. Egypt recorded the largest individual drop, falling 18 positions to 38th.

How does Portugal position itself in such a scenario? The answer combines realism and opportunity. Maintaining high performance depends on strengthening coherent policies, accelerating renewables with storage, and protecting industrial competitiveness with efficiency and electrification. The Danish example shows that regulatory stability and a focus on offshore create a virtuous circle. The Moroccan approach to public transport reveals that investments aligned with demand generate continuous gains in mobility and climate.

Compare to Learn, Adapt to Lead

Comparisons only make sense when they inspire action. Instead of copying models, it is important to adapt solutions to the territory, climate, and urban fabric of Portugal. The link between dense coastal areas and a dispersed interior calls for differentiated strategies: railway hubs and BRT on the coast, shared solutions and efficiency in buildings in the interior.

• 🧩 Smart adaptation: Nordic solutions work if combined with our climate and densities.
• ⚖️ Just transition: train professionals and protect incomes in intensive sectors.
• 🏗️ Industry: electrification of heat, green hydrogen where it makes sense, and efficiency as the first measure.
• 📈 Public metric: transparent annual targets build trust and align investments.

Portugal has human capital, wind, and sun: transforming these resources into stable leadership depends on political coherence and patient technical execution.

Source: www.rtp.pt