At the United Nations Climate Summit in New York, Chinese President Xi Jinping unveiled a historic commitment for China, the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter, to cut its emissions by 7–10% from peak levels by 2035. This marks China’s first absolute emissions reduction target, moving beyond previous intensity-based goals. The pledge covers the entire economy and includes plans to expand wind and solar energy capacity sixfold compared to 2020 levels, targeting over 30% of total energy consumption from renewable sources. China also aims to accelerate adoption of zero-emission vehicles and increase forest coverage, highlighting its growing role in global green energy leadership, especially as some other major emitters have scaled back climate ambitions.
While the new target is seen as modest by some experts—who suggest cuts of around 30% are needed to adequately address global climate risks—China’s history of surpassing climate goals offers cautious optimism. The country invested $625 billion in clean energy over the past year and leads globally in renewable energy deployment. Although the pledge alone may not be enough to limit warming to 1.5°C, it positions China as a critical player in the worldwide shift toward a low-carbon economy. More