"China announced its plans for future cuts to greenhouse gas emissions on Wednesday, producing a scathing response from experts who said they were much too weak to stave off global catastrophe. The world's second-biggest economy is also the biggest source of carbon dioxide by far, and its decisions on how far and how fast to shift to a low-carbon model will determine whether the world can stay within relatively safe temperature bounds."
"Kaysie Brown, associate director for climate diplomacy and governance at the E3G thinktank, said: China's 2035 target falls critically short of what is needed. It's neither aligned with China's economic decarbonisation, nor its own 2060 carbon neutrality goal. Without stronger near-term ambition, China risks undermining its claim to upholding multilateralism and its clean economy leadership, and sending mixed signals to global markets."
China, the world's largest source of carbon dioxide, announced a near-term emissions target of a 7–10% reduction from peak by 2035. The target falls far short of a 30% near-term reduction viewed as feasible and necessary to keep global temperatures within relatively safe bounds. President Xi announced the target at a UN General Assembly summit in New York and urged international focus on the right direction and respect for developing countries' rights. The limited near-term ambition risks delaying alignment with China’s 2060 carbon neutrality goal, affecting global markets and perceptions of multilateral climate leadership. China has a record of setting modest targets and later exceeding them.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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