Maarg Manthan · Topic 20.8

Bonn Challenge and Climate Change Performance Index

Environment & Ecology › Protected Areas Lists and Recent Developments in Environment · Topic 20.8

The Bonn Challenge is a global effort, launched in 2011 by the German government and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) at a ministerial meeting in Bonn, to bring 150 million hectares of the world's deforested and degraded land into restoration by 2020 and 350 million hectares by 2030. The 2030 goal was endorsed by the New York Declaration on Forests at the UN Climate Summit in 2014. It is not a legal treaty but a voluntary platform where governments, companies and communities make pledges, and it uses forest landscape restoration, which restores ecological functions while improving human wellbeing. India joined in 2015 with a pledge to restore 13 million hectares by 2020 and, later, an additional 8 million hectares by 2030, making 21 million hectares by 2030; at the UNCCD COP14 in 2019 it announced a higher target of restoring 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030. The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) is a different tool: an annual ranking of countries on their climate protection performance, published since 2005 by Germanwatch, the NewClimate Institute and Climate Action Network International. It covers about 60 countries and the European Union, which together produce over 90 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and scores four categories: greenhouse gas emissions (40 percent), renewable energy (20 percent), energy use (20 percent) and climate policy (20 percent). The top three ranks are kept empty because no country is yet doing enough. India has been in the top ten in recent editions. Hedge details: ranks change every year, so check the latest report.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Environment & Ecology · Protected Areas Lists and Recent Developments in Environment

At a Glance

Bonn Challenge 2011, Germany and IUCN
Global goal 150 Mha by 2020, 350 Mha by 2030
India’s pledge 21 Mha by 2030; 26 Mha announced 2019
CCPI Since 2005, Germanwatch
CCPI weights 40-20-20-20
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Environment & Ecology: Protected Areas Lists and Recent Developments in Environment

Where Does It Fit?

This topic follows the International Solar Alliance and covers one voluntary restoration platform and one ranking index, both of which appear in the news every year and link to the land programmes covered earlier. Previous topic: International Solar Alliance (ISA). Next topic: Kyoto Protocol (Second Commitment Period, 2013–20) and COP Conferences.

What Are the Bonn Challenge and the CCPI?

Aspect	Details
Bonn Challenge	Voluntary global restoration effort launched in 2011 by Germany and IUCN
Targets	150 million hectares by 2020 and 350 million hectares by 2030
Endorsement	New York Declaration on Forests, 2014
India’s pledge	13 Mha by 2020 and an additional 8 Mha by 2030; 26 Mha announced at UNCCD COP14, 2019
CCPI	Annual climate performance ranking by Germanwatch, NewClimate Institute and Climate Action Network
CCPI categories	GHG emissions 40 percent; renewable energy 20; energy use 20; climate policy 20
Ranks	Top three left empty; India among the top ten in recent editions

Why Do They Matter for India?

Restoration: links with Green India Mission, National Afforestation Programme and watershed programmes
Carbon sink: restoration supports the goal of an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes CO2e by 2030
Land degradation: ties to Land Degradation Neutrality under the UNCCD
Livelihoods: restoration should serve farmers and forest communities
CCPI role: useful for comparison but not an official measure
India’s strength: low per capita emissions and growing renewable energy
Weak points: coal use and growth in total emissions
Caution: rankings depend on method and data

What Else Should You Remember?

Bonn: German city where the UNFCCC secretariat is located
IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature, founded in 1948
Forest landscape restoration: a long-term process to regain ecological function and human wellbeing
Restoration versus plantation: restoration involves natural regeneration, agroforestry and mixed species
Pledges: over 60 countries have made pledges, which exceed 200 Mha, per recent updates
Regional challenges: such as AFR100 in Africa and Initiative 20×20 in Latin America
Friends of Bonn Challenge: networks supporting national pledges
Barometer: a tool to measure progress of pledges
India’s pledge year: announced in 2015 before the Paris Agreement
UNCCD COP14: held in New Delhi in September 2019
Land restoration schemes: Green India Mission, MGNREGS, PMKSY, CAMPA and the Forest Rights Act
Panchamrit: India’s 2021 pledge
Carbon sink target: additional 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through forest and tree cover by 2030
CCPI publication: released at the UN climate conference each year
CCPI countries: about 60 plus the EU
CCPI scale: very high, high, medium, low and very low performance
India in CCPI: has ranked in the top ten in recent years, which should be checked in each report
Other indices: Environmental Performance Index of Yale and Columbia, where India ranks low
Difference: CCPI measures climate policy and emissions, while EPI covers wider environmental health and ecosystem vitality
EPI: published every two years by Yale and Columbia universities
Link to previous: see International Solar Alliance (ISA)
Link to next: see Kyoto Protocol (Second Commitment Period, 2013–20) and COP Conferences
Link to land: see National Action Programme to Combat Desertification
Caution: pledges and ranks are updated, so check the latest reports
Exam hint: remember 2011, the two targets, India’s pledges and the CCPI weights
Natural regeneration: Letting native vegetation regrow is often cheaper and more successful than planting, and fits with community forest management
Agroforestry: Trees on farms count as restoration in many national pledges and give income to farmers
Monitoring needs: Satellite mapping, field plots and third-party checks are needed to verify claimed areas
Community rights: Restoration on forest land should respect rights recognised under the Forest Rights Act
Weak CCPI points: The index flags high coal dependence and a rising total energy demand even when per capita emissions are low
Use of CCPI: Think tanks and media use the ranking to compare policy trends, so it should be read with other data

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Bonn Challenge: 2011; 150 and 350 Mha
India: 21 Mha, then 26 Mha
CCPI: Germanwatch; 40-20-20-20
Current affairs link: CCPI rank
Common errors: confusing CCPI with EPI

As an analytical point, a pledge is a promise of area, not proof of ecological recovery. Survival, species mix, rights of local people and monitoring decide whether restored land delivers carbon and livelihoods.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Bonn Restoration pledge
CCPI Performance rank
Gap Delivery

What Came Next?

The next topic covers the Kyoto Protocol, its second commitment period and the COP conferences. Next topic: Kyoto Protocol (Second Commitment Period, 2013–20) and COP Conferences.

Key People and Terms

Bonn Challenge Global restoration target
FLR Forest landscape restoration
CCPI Climate Change Performance Index
EPI Environmental Performance Index
LDN Land degradation neutrality
NYDF New York Declaration on Forests

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Bonn Challenge 2011.
Goals: 150 Mha and 350 Mha.
India: 21 Mha, then 26 Mha.
CCPI by Germanwatch.
Weights: 40-20-20-20.

Do Not Confuse With

CCPI and EPI Climate ranking versus environmental performance
Bonn Challenge and Bonn conference Restoration pledge versus UNFCCC meetings
Pledge and delivery Promised area versus restored land

Memory Hook

Eleven in Bonn: one-fifty, three-fifty; CCPI forty, twenty, twenty, twenty.

Mains Angle

Questions ask for targets, pledges and organisers. These points help.

Pledge Area target
Link Land schemes
CCPI Rank

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“What is the Bonn Challenge? How does India plan to meet its restoration pledge?”

How to Answer

Challenge Targets.
India Pledges.
Schemes Programmes.
CCPI Rank.

GS Relevance

Prelims: Bonn Challenge goals, India's pledge, CCPI organisers and weights. GS Paper 3: restoration and climate indices.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Bonn Challenge?

The Bonn Challenge is a voluntary global effort launched in 2011 by Germany and IUCN to restore 150 million hectares of deforested and degraded land by 2020 and 350 million hectares by 2030. It is a platform for pledges by governments, companies and communities, and the 2030 target was endorsed by the New York Declaration on Forests in 2014.

What is India's Bonn Challenge pledge?

India pledged in 2015 to restore 13 million hectares by 2020 and an additional 8 million hectares by 2030, giving 21 million hectares by 2030. At UNCCD COP14 in New Delhi in 2019, India announced a higher target of restoring 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030.

What is the Climate Change Performance Index?

The Climate Change Performance Index is an annual ranking of countries on climate protection, published since 2005 by Germanwatch, the NewClimate Institute and Climate Action Network. It covers about 60 countries and the European Union and scores greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy, energy use and climate policy.

How is the CCPI score calculated?

The CCPI gives 40 percent weight to greenhouse gas emissions, 20 percent to renewable energy, 20 percent to energy use and 20 percent to climate policy, using indicators of current level, trend and a well-below-2-degrees compatible path. The top three ranks are left empty because no country is doing enough.

How is the CCPI different from the Environmental Performance Index?

The CCPI focuses on climate action, ranking countries on emissions, renewable energy, energy use and climate policy. The Environmental Performance Index, from Yale and Columbia universities, covers a wider set of environmental health and ecosystem vitality indicators, and India has ranked low there. They measure different things.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 The Bonn Challenge was launched in 2011.

True

By Germany and IUCN.

2 The CCPI is published by the World Bank.

False

By Germanwatch and partners.

3 India announced a 26 Mha restoration target in 2019.