By Abbas Nazil
China, the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has for the first time pledged to cut its emissions through an absolute target, committing to reduce them by 7–10% by 2035 while aiming to do even better.
The pledge was announced by President Xi Jinping in a video address to the United Nations in New York, where he outlined China’s plan to reduce emissions across its entire economy.
The move comes as the United States, under President Donald Trump, is rolling back its climate commitments, with Trump recently describing climate change as a “con job.”
While the announcement marks a historic step, critics argue that the plan is insufficient to keep global climate goals within reach.
Greenpeace East Asia said the pledge still falls short, and other experts warned that anything less than a 30% reduction by 2035 will not align with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5C target.
China accounts for more than a quarter of global emissions, producing nearly 14 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent in 2023.
A 10% cut would reduce 1.4 billion tonnes annually, nearly four times the UK’s total yearly emissions.
China’s targets include expanding solar and wind capacity to six times 2020 levels, boosting forest stocks to over 24 billion cubic metres, and making new energy vehicles mainstream.
Despite concerns, analysts note that China has a record of surpassing climate pledges, having already met its 2030 renewables target six years early.
Experts believe China’s rapid clean technology growth could drive deeper emission cuts, though reliance on coal remains a challenge.
Initial data suggests coal use fell in the first half of 2025, offering signs that emissions may be plateauing.
The new target signals what some describe as the beginning of China’s long-term decarbonisation after decades of rising emissions.