Commitment to global climate action resolute: China Daily editorial

In an address to the United Nations Climate Summit in New York on Wednesday, President Xi Jinping reaffirmed China's unwavering commitment to climate action.

Delivered via video, Xi's speech comes at a critical moment. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement — a crucial year for nations to update their Nationally Determined Contributions as global climate governance enters a decisive phase.

Announcing China's ambitious new NDCs, Xi said that these targets represent China's best efforts based on the requirements of the Paris Agreement, and meeting these targets will require painstaking efforts by the country itself as well as a supportive and open international environment.

Saying that the green and low carbon transition is "the trend of our time", he urged the international community to "stay focused in the right direction" despite some countries "acting against it".

China has consistently prioritized and actively participated in global climate governance. The country has previously pledged to peak its carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. But the 2035 goals announced by Xi mark a new stage in China's climate policy. The goals include reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by 7 to 10 percent from peak levels; increasing the share of nonfossil fuels in energy consumption to over 30 percent; and expanding the installed capacity of wind and solar power to over six times the 2020 levels. They represent a shift from controlling incremental increases to decreasing the existing levels of green house gas emissions. This shift is backed by other commitments such as drastically expanding forests, making new energy vehicles the mainstream in the sales of new cars, and basically establishing a climate adaptive society.

As President Xi said, China has the resolve and confidence to deliver on these commitments and it will be "striving to do better".

The Paris Agreement of 2015 aims to limit global warming to "well below" 2 C above preindustrial levels by the end of the century, and "pursue efforts" to keep warming within the safer limit of 1.5 C for the world to avoid the worst climate catastrophes. Under the pact, countries must update their NDCs every five years as they seek to reduce emissions.

By presenting its emissions reduction target well ahead of the 30th UN climate conference, or COP30, to be held in Belem, Brazil, in November, China, as a responsible major country, has signaled its firm commitment to the international climate change control process while sending a positive message to the world about its transition to green and low-carbon development.

China's stepping up its climate efforts is both timely and inspiring for the global fight against climate change, especially given the United States is in the process of withdrawing from the Paris accord for a second time. The US president went so far as to call climate change a "con job" at a recent UN meeting.

Thanks largely to China's persistent efforts to promote a low-carbon economy, along with those of others, progress has been made in limiting the global temperature increase. "In the last 10 years, the projected global temperature rise has dropped from four degrees Celsius to less than three," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.

China has been accelerating its comprehensive green transformation and, as a result, only half of the country's electricity mix comes from coal, as compared to three-quarters a decade ago. China has also established preliminary advantages in several key green sectors, with more than 80 percent of the world's solar panels and 70 percent of wind power equipment coming from the country. Its booming exports of solar panels, batteries and electric cars are helping cut emissions in many other countries as well.

Climate response is an urgent yet long-term task that all countries, both developing and developed, are facing. But the clock is relentlessly counting down the days in which meaningful action can prevent temperatures crossing critical warming limits. All members of the international community must honor the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities to fulfill their emissions reduction obligations. Only by doing so can the beautiful vision of harmony between humanity and nature be realized, and can we avoid an existential climate catastrophe.

China's resolve to meet the targets it has set is clear, as is its call for global solidarity in tackling the challenge of climate change. Despite some nations acting contrary to this imperative, the international community must remain resolute, focused and committed to the climate cause, as only by acting with collective determination, as Xi said, will the world preserve our shared home and ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for generations to come.