BEIJING — China has announced a new and ambitious plan to significantly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and dramatically shift its energy consumption towards renewable sources. Unveiled by President Xi Jinping at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the plan outlines a series of key targets to be met by 2035.
Key Targets for Emissions and Energy
As part of its updated climate commitments, China aims to cut its economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions by between 7% and 10% by 2035. This reduction is intended to be achieved through a major transition in the nation’s energy mix.
President Xi Jinping highlighted that by 2035, non-fossil fuels will account for more than 30% of China’s total energy consumption. To meet this target, the country plans a monumental expansion of its renewable energy infrastructure.
Monumental Shift to Wind and Solar
The new plan includes an ambitious goal to escalate the country’s installed capacity for wind and solar power generation to 3.6 billion kilowatts. This figure represents an increase of more than six times the capacity level recorded in 2020, signaling a pivotal move for China toward fulfilling its international climate obligations under the Paris Agreement.