In News:

India improved its position by two places to rank 70th in the Energy Transition Index (ETI) 2026, released by the World Economic Forum (WEF), reflecting progress in balancing energy security, sustainability, and affordability while advancing towards a cleaner energy system.

What is the Energy Transition Index (ETI)?

The Energy Transition Index (ETI) is an annual global assessment published by the World Economic Forum (WEF) to evaluate how effectively countries are progressing towards secure, sustainable, equitable, and resilient energy systems. Besides measuring the current performance of a country's energy system, the index also assesses the readiness of its policy, financial, institutional, and infrastructure ecosystem to support the energy transition.

The ETI score is calculated on a 0–100 scale, where 100 represents the highest level of performance.

Methodology

The index is based on two broad sub-indices:

• System Performance (60%), which assesses the current energy system across three equally weighted dimensions:
  • Energy Security
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Energy Equity (Affordability and Access)
• Transition Readiness (40%), which evaluates a country's preparedness to accelerate the energy transition through:
  • Core Enablers: Regulation, political commitment, finance and investment.
  • Enabling Factors: Innovation, infrastructure, education, and human capital.

Key Findings of ETI 2026

The Nordic countries continued to dominate the rankings, with Sweden, Finland, and Denmark retaining the top three positions globally owing to their advanced clean energy systems and supportive policy frameworks.

Among major economies, Singapore registered one of the largest improvements by climbing 10 places to 42nd, driven by stronger regulatory reforms and political commitment towards clean energy.

Six G20 economies featured among the global top twenty:

• Germany – 9th
• France – 10th
• United Kingdom – 11th
• China – 14th
• Brazil – 17th
• United States – 19th

India improved its ranking from 72nd to 70th, reflecting gradual progress in expanding renewable energy, improving energy access, and strengthening the policy framework supporting the clean energy transition.

In News:

A rare European migratory bird, the Ortolan Bunting (Emberizahortulana), was recently spotted in Baruipur, on the southern outskirts of Kolkata, West Bengal. This marks only the second recorded sighting of the species in the state, with the last being in the Sundarbans in 2014.

About Ortolan Bunting:

• Scientific Name:Emberizahortulana
• Type: Small Palearctic migratory songbird
• Distribution: Native to Europe and parts of Central Asia, extending east to Mongolia and north to the Arctic Circle.
• Migration: The species typically migrates to sub-Saharan Africa during the winter months.

Habitat and Characteristics:

• Preferred Habitat: Open or semi-open agricultural lands, slopes, and grasslands with scattered shrubs; generally avoids dense forests and oceanic climates.
• Altitude Range: Found up to 2,500 metres in suitable habitats.
• Physical Features:
  • Length: 16–17 cm; Wingspan: about 25 cm.
  • Males have a greenish-grey head, yellow throat, and brown-streaked body.
  • Females and juveniles are smaller and duller, with spotted underparts.
  • Possess a conical beak suited for cracking seeds.

Conservation Status:

• IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Despite its status, the Ortolan Bunting faces population decline in parts of Europe due to habitat loss and illegal hunting — particularly in France, where it was once considered a delicacy.

Significance of the Sighting:

• Highlights the importance of citizen-led biodiversity monitoring through platforms like eBird and BirdForum.
• Suggests potential changes in migratory routes, possibly influenced by climatic shifts.
• Reinforces West Bengal’s ecological diversity, which continues to attract rare and migratory bird species.