For first time, China says will cut greenhouse gas emissions, Pg 11.

Key Highlights:

• China aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 7%-10% by 2035 compared to peak levels, marking its first direct emission reduction plan.
• In 2024, China's emissions were approximately 15.8 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
• China plans to increase its solar and wind energy capacity to over six times its 2020 levels by 2035.
• President Xi Jinping announced these plans at a UN climate change meeting in New York.

Detailed Insights:

• China, the world's largest emitter, previously focused on reducing emissions intensity rather than absolute emissions.
• China's installed solar and wind capacity has reached approximately 1,600 GW, a significant increase from 530 GW in 2020.
• The updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), to be submitted by China, will formalize these commitments.
• The plan includes economy-wide actions and covers all greenhouse gases, not just CO2 emissions.
• Simon Stiell, executive secretary of UN Climate Change, views China's announcement as an acceleration of climate action.
• China had previously committed to peak CO2 emissions around 2030, with efforts to achieve this earlier.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Greenhouse Gases: Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to global warming.
• Emissions Intensity: The ratio of greenhouse gas emissions to a country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
• Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): Climate action plans submitted by countries under the Paris Agreement.