India, Oct. 15 -- Ahead of COP31 next month, a new global assessment of how countries integrate health into their Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) has ranked India and Japan among the lowest performers, with both scoring just two out of 32 points. The 2026 Healthy NDC Scorecard by the Global Climate and Health Alliance, released on Wednesday, evaluated 117 national climate plans covering 132 countries, finding that India's climate commitment does not meaningfully address health impacts and health co-benefits, or mention air pollutants despite the country's high air-pollution death rate.

The scorecard covers eight categories, including health impacts, air pollution, health-sector action and climate finance. Colombia topped the ran...