China vows for the first time to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by a small amount over the next 10 years – President Xi Jinping urged the world to work on its route to climate change.
The Chinese president, one of several national leaders, announced new climate plans Wednesday at a summit chaired by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and covered up belligerent anti-climate rhetoric by U.S. President Donald Trump at the UN General Assembly one day before.
Xi Jinping said in a live video message in Beijing that by 2035, his country will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions from its peak by 7%-10%. He said China plans to increase its wind and solar capacity six times from 2020 levels over the next 10 years and increase its share of non-fossil fuels in domestic energy consumption to more than 30%.
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China’s reduction target – Unveiled on the day the country’s southern coast was slammed by the biggest typhoon of the year – Signifies the world’s largest emitter reduction in emissions, not just limiting its growth, as the reduction is less than many observers hope and expected.
Xi Jinping urged stronger climate action from developed countries around the world. He mentioned the United States, despite its name, due to getting rid of the Paris climate change agreement’s goals.
“Green and low-carbon transformation are trends in our time. Although some countries oppose this trend, the international community should keep on the right track, maintain unwavering confidence, unwavering action and effortless efforts,” XI said.
Trump “transfers future energy to China”
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with his joint conference on Tuesday Exploding climate change as a “scam”. He said scientists were “stupid” and criticized EU member states and China for embracing clean energy technology.
Trump ordered Washington to evacuate the 10-year-old Paris treaty for the second time, which aims to prevent global temperatures from rising by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius through national climate plans. The United States is the world’s largest historical greenhouse gas emitter and the second largest emitter after China.
Ian Bremmer, a political scientist at the Belfer Center, said Trump’s climate denial rhetoric effectively ceded the market for post-carbon energy to the Chinese.
“Trump wants fossil fuels, and the United States is indeed a powerful oil country,” Bremer said. “But making China the only powerful electricity country in the world is the opposite of making America great again…at least if you care about the future.”
Observers have been hoping China will seize the U.S. retreat to announce a reduction of at least 30% to a net zero emission target by 2060.
Beijing’s small goals failed to impress people
Li Shu, director of the Asian Association’s China Climate Hub, said China’s announcement is incredible given its rapid production of renewable energy and electric vehicles.
“Beijing’s commitment represents a cautious move that extends a long-term political tradition of prioritizing stable, predictable decisions while obscuring more important economic realities,” he said.
However, Lee pointed out that China’s dominance in green technology and Washington’s retreat may push China to play a more active role on the global stage.
Despite raising the pressure on major climate commitments ahead of this year’s COP30 summit in Brazil, Wednesday’s announcement failed to impress.
Environmental groups and observers say that given the rapid impact of climate change, some of the world’s largest economies have promised far below where emissions are reduced.
Brazilian President Luis Inacio lula da Silva warned that before the UN climate summit in November, the commitments of countries will show the world “whether we believe in science has shown us what it is.”
Brazil has been committed to reducing emissions by 59%-67% by 2035 and has stepped up efforts to combat deforestation.
“Society will stop believing in its leaders,” Lula said. “We will all lose because negativeism may actually win.”
“We have to go further and faster”
Guterres, who Hosted the summit On the grounds of the United Nations General Assembly, ensure that the world has made progress in the energy transition, even if it is slow.
“The Paris Agreement makes a difference,” Guterres said in the prepared comment.
This is still far from the treaty’s holding goal, which is to hold 1.5 degrees C. The world has warmed more than 1.2 degrees above the pre-industrial average.
“Now, we need new plans for 2035, which are further and faster,” Guterres said.
this The EU has not reached an agreement yet On its new non-climate-giving targets, plans to submit temporary targets were drafted, which could change.
EU President Ursula van der Leyen told the summit that the EU is expected to reach its 2030 target by 2030, with EU emissions of 55% by 2030, while the group’s 2035 reduction target will be between 66% and 72%.
Australia plans to host the UN climate summit next year, announcing its commitment to cut greenhouse gases to 2005 levels below 62 to 70 per cent by 2035.
“We want to bring the world into climate change, rather than asking any country to give up the work or security that their people deserve, but to work with each country to seize and share these opportunities.”
Palau, a South Pacific island country representing the 39-person alliance of small island states, announced that by 2035, its target will cut emissions to 44% of its 2015 level.
Palau President Surangel Whipps reminded leaders that an advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice earlier this year confirmed “the obligations in international law” and required the state to take stronger measures to curb its emissions.
“Those who take the greatest responsibility and the greatest ability to act must do more,” he said.
- Jim Pollard’s Extra Input and Editing by Reuters
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