China pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 7-10% by 2035 at the climate summit held during the United Nations General Assembly. President Xi Jinping also announced that the country will increase its wind and solar energy capacity sixfold within 10 years. This will bring the share of non-fossil fuels in China’s energy consumption to over 30%.
This announcement marks a historic step, as China, the world’s largest emitter, has for the first time set a target of reduction instead of “limiting growth”.
In his speech, Xi implicitly criticized the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, saying, “The green and low-carbon transition is the trend of our time. Although some countries oppose this trend, the international community must resolutely continue on its path.” In his speech the previous day, US President Donald Trump had called climate change a “hoax,” targeting scientists and defending his decision to withdraw from the agreement again. According to experts, this stance means leaving the carbon-free energy market to China’s monopoly. However, environmental groups and observers found China’s announced reduction target “insufficient.” Despite China’s rapid investments in renewable energy and electric vehicles, the failure to announce the expected 30% reduction target has been disappointing.UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, recalling that the Paris Agreement played a role in reducing the global temperature increase from 4°C to 2.6°C, stated, “Now we need much more advanced and faster plans for 2035.”
The European Union announced that it is on track for a 55% emission reduction by 2030 and will announce a target of 66-72% for 2035.
Although Brazil, Australia, and island nations have also set new targets, environmental authorities have stated that these plans are still insufficient in the face of the seriousness of the climate crisis.
