At this year’s UN Climate Summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping unveiled China’s new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), an economy-wide target covering all greenhouse gases for the first time in China’s history. The commitment is clear: by 2035, China will reduce its net greenhouse gas emissions by 7 percent to 10 percent from peak levels, increase the share of non-fossil fuels in total energy consumption to over 30 percent, and expand its installed capacity of wind and solar power to over six times the 2020 levels.
In this critical moment for global climate action, many media outlets welcomed China’s commitment, with headlines noting that "China leads nations with new climate plan" and hailing a "landmark pledge." Yet, amidst this constructive dialogue, the EU climate chief, Wopke Hoekstra, voiced a dissonant critique, dismissing the plan as falling "well short" of what he deems "achievable and necessary."
This criticism overlooks a fundamental aspect of China’s approach: a longstanding preference for doing more and speaking less. An unkept promise, after all, is worse than no promise at all. When China committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, it set for itself the shortest timeline in history for the transition from carbon peaking to neutrality. Its track record demonstrates this commitment is not just aspirational.
Consider the facts: By 2020, China had reduced its carbon intensity by 60 percent compared to 2005, vastly surpassing its target of 40-45 percent. It had already hit its 2030 goal for installed wind and solar power capacity, reaching 1,200 gigawatts—six years ahead of schedule. Its pledge to increase forest stock volume by 6 billion cubic meters from a 2005 baseline has been fulfilled.
This pattern is not merely about meeting numerical targets; it reflects a demonstrable commitment to over-delivering.
Furthermore, while advancing its own green transition, China has actively supported other developing nations. Through initiatives like the Belt and Road South-South Cooperation Initiative on Climate Change and the "Ten-Hundred-Thousand" Project for South-South Climate Cooperation, China has helped enhance climate resilience worldwide. Solar and hydropower projects in Africa cut emissions and alleviate power outages. Sharing advanced agricultural techniques with Mongolia has boosted forage supply and combated land degradation. With ASEAN countries, China launched the Action Initiative on Joint Innovation for Meteorological AI Model Applications, strengthening regional defenses against climate disasters.
Given this record, the EU’s criticism is misplaced. On the matter of responsibility, the EU’s historical per capita emissions remain higher than those of China. More pressingly, the EU is struggling to fulfill its own commitments. According to the European Environment Agency, the EU is on track to meet only 8 of the 28 key targets of its 2030 Green Deal. It was recently reported that internal divisions may prevent the bloc from submitting its 2035 climate target on time.
Simultaneously, policies like the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and tariffs on Chinese EVs—widely viewed as protectionist—not only risk hindering Europe’s own green transition but also clash with WTO principles of fair trade.
Facts speak the loudest. Rather than pointing fingers, the EU would do better to confront those who dismiss climate change as a "con, scam, hoax" and focus on achieving its own lagging targets.
This article does not seek to incite a war of words over who contributes more. Its aim is to call for a greater sense of unity. In the face of a climate crisis that knows no borders, the message for all humanity is clear: united we stand, divided we fall. It is high time we moved beyond the blame game and worked collectively toward a solution.
To address the climate crisis, we need both ambitious targets and concrete outcomes.
(Guan Yan is a commentator on China-US relations and international affairs, writing for Xinhua News Agency, Global Times, China Daily, CGTN etc. He can be reached at m.franzfuhao@gmail.com.)
原文地址：http://en.people.cn/n3/2025/1105/c90000-20386759.html