Beijing vows cuts to emissions by 7-10%

China vowed Wednesday to cut its emissions by 7-10% over the next decade, a cautious commitment to climate action from the world’s top polluter, as the United States doubles down on fossil fuels and Europe falters.

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The pledge, delivered via video by President Xi Jinping to a UN climate summit where some 120 nations will outline plans to curb global warming, comes as disasters intensify worldwide — from catastrophic floods in Pakistan to raging wildfires in Spain.

While the headline target may seem modest, China has a record of under-promising while overdelivering, driven by its green technology boom.

“Green and low carbon transition is the trend of our time,” said Mr Xi. “While some country is acting against it, the international community should stay focused in the right direction.”

China, responsible for 30% of global emissions, had previously pledged to peak its carbon output before 2030 — a goal it appears on track to meet five years early. The new target for 2035 is backed by commitments to expand wind and solar six times over 2020 levels, drastically expand forests, and ramp up electric cars production.