Statement: U.S. Plummets to Bottom of Global Climate Rankings as Federal Denial Abandons Frontline Communities

ANTALYA, TÜRKIYE — As global leaders convene for the UN Climate Change Conference (COP31), the United States has plummeted to the bottom of the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2027. Ranked 67th out of 68 overall, the U.S. dropped two places from its previous standing and is now classified as a "very low" performer, cementing its status as one of the worst-performing nations globally. The U.S. Climate Action Network (USCAN) contributed to this assessment, which reveals a stark contrast between necessary global ambition and current federal regression.

At a time when U.S. ambition should be at its greatest and its highest, the federal government has dismissed the climate crisis as a hoax. Yet, when climate impacts hit, they harm people worldwide. The CCPI 2027 report highlights that the U.S.'s dismal ranking is driven by severe federal climate rollbacks and a relentless expansion of fossil fuels, which currently overshadow the critical climate action still happening at the state and local levels.

This blatant disregard for the climate emergency is particularly stark at COP31, where the U.S. has no official delegation or negotiating presence. As recently reported by the Associated Press, world leaders are demanding urgent and decisive action on global warming in the conspicuous absence of top leaders from the three biggest polluting nations: the United States, China, and India. The  world's largest historical emitter’s continued  retreat from international cooperation is a slap in the face to vulnerable countries facing a year of deadly floods, heatwaves, and compounding climate disasters.

"Climate change is not a hoax; it is a lived reality for communities across the globe facing escalating disasters," stated Dr. Ife Kilimanjaro, Executive Director of the U.S. Climate Action Network. "The U.S. has a moral and historical obligation to lead on climate action. Instead, we are seeing a federal government that prioritizes fossil fuel profits over people, leaving a vacuum of leadership that threatens the safety of our children and our future."

Despite this federal abdication, there remains profound inspiration and hope. Communities, organizations, local and state leaders, and businesses have stubbornly continued to advance climate action on the ground, including over 300 local data center moratoriums and a growing wave of balcony solar legislation. Together, they are fighting to support and implement policies that advance a more just, equitable, and healthy world. Additionally, more than 120 state, local, and cross-sector leaders – including governors and mayors – are participating in COP31, alongside a sizable congressional delegation. With Democrats now set to control both chambers of Congress, the next Congress has a real opportunity – and an obligation – to turn that momentum into renewed U.S. climate leadership at home and abroad.

USCAN urges these subnational coalitions to continue pushing the envelope, while maintaining the demand that the U.S. reverse its federal trajectory, end its fossil fuel addiction, and fulfill its responsibility to deliver public, grant-based climate finance to those bearing the brunt of the crisis.

To read the full assessment of the United States in the Climate Change Performance Index, visit: https://ccpi.org/country/usa/.