[Text/Observer Network Zhang Jingjuan] At the United Nations Climate Change Summit, China announced a new round of nationally determined contribution (NDC) plan: by 2035, the net greenhouse gas emissions of the whole economy will drop by 7%-10% from the peak, and strive to do better. Non-fossil energy consumption accounts for more than 30%, and the total installed capacity of wind power and solar energy has increased more than 6 times compared with 2020, striving to reach 3.6 billion kilowatts.
This is the first time that China has set specific emission reduction targets in the process of tackling climate change, but has been taken up by some Western public opinion, throwing out the argument of "there is a lack of ambition" and rushing to give China climate action under definition.
In response to Hoekstra's remarks, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a written response to Reuters on the 26th that some people turned a deaf ear and remained silent to remarks such as "climate change is a scam", but turned a blind eye to China's responsible and proactive actions in dealing with climate change, and made irresponsible comments. "This is a typical double standard and selective blindness"; Such remarks undermine global solidarity in tackling climate change and undermine the atmosphere of cooperation, which is the real "disappointment".
China’s foreign ministry called on the European Union to change its habit of “saying more and doing less,” saying that China is the country with the strongest commitments to reduce emissions, the strongest action and the most effective implementation.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Monday that China’s governance results are visible, ranging from six years ahead of the 2030 renewable energy development targets to a peak of carbon emissions likely to arrive five years ahead of the 2030 commitments. Australian National University Dr. Jorrit Gosens said, “Everyone knows they will overcome the task.”
In the current global climate governance landscape, the United States is acting perversely on climate issues, and the European Union has not yet finalized emission reduction targets. In contrast, China's seemingly "moderate" commitment to emission reduction is actually an insistence on not singing high-profile, not talking empty talk and doing practical things.
According to Reuters, China has ignored U.S. anti-renewable energy statements, led a new climate plan and played a leading role on climate issues. European Commission President Von der Leyen also affirmed China’s climate initiatives, “I welcome China’s willingness to contribute to achieving global climate targets, fulfill the Paris Agreement commitments, and deepen bilateral low-carbon development cooperation in all areas.”
Muyi Yang, senior energy analyst at Ember, said China’s emissions reduction goals need to be combined with its “world’s most populous country” and “manufacturing power” dual identity, taking full account of the scale and complexity of its decarbonisation process.
"Don't forget that China is promoting the world's largest power system transformation. There are many contradictions that need to be resolved in this process. For example, it is necessary to gradually promote the withdrawal of coal power and prepare for it, and at the same time, it is necessary to make volatile renewable energy energy become the mainstream of the power system." Yang Muyi said.
The key in this transition, he said, is not only to increase the installation capacity of clean energy, but also to build a "big clean system" that can support and ensure the stable operation of volatile clean energy, and promote the wider application of clean electricity in transportation, construction, heating and industrial production.
According to him, the commitment to cut emissions by 7%-10% is the “signal light” of this transformation, meaning that the phase of “coal synchronous growth with renewable energy” has come to an end. Even some analysts believe that it may be possible to see a decline in coal power generation this year.
“Fishing light complementary” photovoltaic power plant IC photo
In contrast to China’s pragmatic actions, some of the roles in the current global climate governance pattern are more embarrassing.The three largest Chinese and U.S. European economies contribute to more than 50% of global carbon emissions, but the current pace of action is seriously divergent: the U.S. freezes the approval of wind power projects and cancels clean energy subsidies, while promoting “climate action is a scam”; and the EU, despite launching a European green agreement, is late to give a reduction target for 2035.
The European edition of Political News Network mocked that for decades, the EU has been laying the shelf of the climate "quarterback", often putting pressure on China on climate issues, but on the 24th came to the United Nations climate change summit "it is entirely a shame caused by the EU itself."
Faced with this pattern, ABC pointed out that the new goals announced by China this time clearly send a signal: regardless of whether the United States participates or not, the global climate decarbonization process will continue to advance. Yang Muyi also stressed that the most important message released by China is "policy continuity". China's determination to deepen green transformation is firm and lasting.
Dr. Gosens explained from an objective point of view that the current emission reduction commitments of all countries have not met the requirement of controlling the global temperature rise within 2 ℃. "China should not be asked to raise its ambition alone, because other countries have failed to do this". This judgment just punctures the double standards of some western forces towards China.
Bill Hare, chief executive of the non-profit scientific policy research agency Climate Analysis, is deeply concerned about the current global climate governance situation.
“I think that global climate action is currently at an extremely dangerous moment,” he said, adding that the 30th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30), which will be held in November in the northern city of Beren, Brazil, will become a historic key node.
In fact, at a time when global climate governance is facing uncertainty, China's actions are always very important. In a written response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China pointed out that after China announced a new round of nationally determined contributions, all parties spoke highly of China's measures, which reflected its determination to actively promote climate action and injected precious confidence and motivation into global climate governance.
China's resolve and action to actively respond to climate change is consistent, is the world's most resolute to meet the commitment to reduce emissions, the most powerful to act, the most effective to implement. no matter how the international situation changes, how other countries' policies adjust, China always adhere to the new development philosophy, promote the green and low-carbon transformation, always fulfill its international obligations, strengthen international cooperation to deal with climate change, and promote the building of a community of human destiny.
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