China makes emissions reduction pledge to UN
China submits climate plan to the UN and over half the world’s emissions are now covered by national emissions reduction pledges
China has submitted its climate plan to the United Nations and over half the world’s GHG emissions are now covered by national emissions reduction pledges.
China is the world’s top greenhouse gas emitter and has submitted its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as part of international support for a global climate deal expected to be signed in Paris in December.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang was at a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels on Tuesday and confirmed China’s ambition to target a “fair, reasonable, win-win” approach to tackling climate change.
Scaling up from the 45 per cent goal for 2020, the China INDC pledges to cut the carbon emissions/GDP ratio for 2030 by at least 60 per cent over 2005 levels.
China’s INDC is now available at the UNFCCC website, as well as new pledges from Iceland and the South Korea.
China is also aiming to increase its renewable energy capacity, which rose 31 per cent last year, to full 20 per cent of the energy mix by 2030.
Carbon emission trading pilot schemes have been launched in 7 Chinese provinces and cities and low-carbon development pilots in 42 provinces and cities.
The new pledge includes a commitment to increase forest stock volume by about 4.5 billion cubic metres over the 2005 level and promote low-carbon communities.
