Xi announces China aims to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060

BEIJING - China aims to have CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced Tuesday.

Xi made the remarks at the general debate of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly via video.

"China will scale up its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions by adopting more vigorous policies and measures," he said.

He noted that the Paris Agreement on climate change charts the course for the world to transition to green and low-carbon development.

"It outlines the minimum steps to be taken to protect the Earth, our shared homeland, and all countries must take decisive steps to honor this agreement," he said.

Humankind can no longer afford to ignore the repeated warnings of nature and go down the beaten path of extracting resources without investing in conservation, pursuing development at the expense of protection, and exploiting resources without restoration, Xi said.

Xi called on all countries to pursue innovative, coordinated, green and open development for all, seize the historic opportunities presented by the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, and achieve a green recovery of the world economy in the post-COVID era.