Reference News Network, September 28 report: On September 26, the website of The New York Times published an article titled "China Is the 'Adult in the Room' on Climate Issues," authored by Li Shuo, Director of the China Climate Center at the Asia Society Policy Institute. The following is a translation of the article:

This week, during the United Nations General Assembly, China unveiled its plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions over the next decade, pledging that China's net greenhouse gas emissions will fall by 7% to 10% from their peak by 2035.

However, judging China's climate ambitions solely based on this new commitment would miss a much more profound economic story. China has become a global superpower in clean technology. Its leading position in solar energy, batteries, and electric vehicles enables it to advance more rapidly on climate issues and help many parts of the world reduce their reliance on fossil fuels. While the West is distracted and internally divided, China is focused and moving forward vigorously.

Within just a dozen years, China's clean energy sector has evolved from an emerging industry into a powerful economic engine.

Today, China produces over 80% of the world's solar panels, about 75% of electric vehicle batteries, and more than 60% of wind turbines. In 2023 alone, the clean technology industry contributed 40% of China's GDP growth. China now adds more solar power generation capacity each year than the rest of the world combined.

Although China still accounts for about 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions, such pollution has begun to decline amid the boom in clean energy development. In the first half of 2025, China's carbon dioxide emissions fell by 1% due to the rapid deployment of renewable energy.

The Chinese government has pledged that by 2035, the total installed capacity of wind and solar power will be more than six times that of 2020, and the share of non-fossil energy in total energy consumption will exceed 30%. However, the next phase of clean energy installations may enable China to go beyond this commitment, replacing its reliance on fossil fuels more significantly and achieving results far exceeding these targets.

Western climate goals are often ambitious but vulnerable to political cycles. Unlike the West, China combines its decarbonization strategy with economic growth. In practice, this means systematically building infrastructure, mature supply chains, and a predictable domestic market for clean energy.

Western climate ambitions often fade due to political setbacks, creating an illusion of progress without implementing deep structural reforms. President Trump of the United States revoked his predecessor Joe Biden's landmark climate solution, the Inflation Reduction Act, along with canceling billions of dollars in federal investments in the clean energy sector. Meanwhile, the European Union, once a champion of climate action, has been in turmoil due to geopolitical interference and internal divisions, embarrassingly failing to submit its climate commitments to the United Nations this week.

China's announced climate goals may seem moderate, but its sustained actions are based on strong industrial capabilities and a vision that is not affected by political fluctuations. In the end, these actions will contribute more to global climate efforts than grandiose and volatile promises. (Translated by Qing Songzhu)

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7555031477344289314/

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