Beijing: China’s bold pledge to be carbon-neutral by 2060, a goal far exceeding any climate action by the US, will see the country focus on renewables and center its economy around green growth, said Chinese environmentalists, who urged action plans to be set for low-carbon growth over the com-ing decades to reach a net zero carbon footprint.
China aims to have carbon dioxide emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday at the general debate of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly via video, according media.
“China will scale up its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions by adopting more vigorous policies and measures,” he said.
This is the first time China has set a long-term goal for carbon emissions, a move that is expected to strengthen the global response to climate change, which has been crippled by the US’ with-drawal from the Paris climate accord and the COVID-19 pandemic, Ma Jun, director of the Insti-tute of Public and Environmental Affairs, told the Global Times on Wednesday.
The 2060 goal will “lead hesitant or reluctant countries and regions to reduce carbon emissions by following in China’s footsteps,” Ma said.
China is an active partner in global climate governance, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a regular press conference on Wednesday.
Non-fossil fuel now makes up nearly 15 percent of the nation’s total energy consumption. China has 30 percent of the world’s installed capacity of renewable energy, representing 44 percent of the world’s increase. More than half of the world’s new-energy vehicles are in China and the nation has contributed 25 percent of the global increase in afforestation areas since 2000, Wang said.
The US, the world’s largest cumulative emitter of greenhouse gases, “has rejected binding quanti-fied emissions reduction targets and refused to take even minimal steps to protect the planet,” the spokesman said, noting that the US is substantially holding back global emissions reductions and low-carbon development.
For China’s carbon-neutrality pledge to be honored, the nation needs to focus more on solar and wind energy, which are almost 100-percent green, Ma said.
Ma is expecting more research and development commitments to make renewables, including hydrogen energy, readily available, but the environmental consultant is also hoping for advances in carbon capture and storage, a technology that helps reduce emissions from burning fossil fuels but whose feasibility remains in doubt.–The Daily Mail-Global Times news exchange item
