Xi Jinping criticises some countries

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday told the UN climate leaders’ summit that China aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 7%-10% below peak levels by 2035. He also criticised some countries for acting against the global clean energy transition.

Xi added that over the next ten years, China plans to increase its installed wind and solar power capacity to six times 2020 levels and raise the share of non-fossil fuels in domestic energy consumption to over 30% by 2035.

He called on developed nations to take the lead in stronger emissions reductions, implicitly referring to the United States.

The summit followed a speech by US President Donald Trump to the UN General Assembly the previous day, in which he described climate change as a “con job.”

Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, host of the upcoming COP30 summit, warned leaders that updates to national climate plans would demonstrate whether countries trust the science. Brazil has pledged to cut emissions by 59%-67% by 2035 and to intensify efforts to combat deforestation.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the Paris Agreement has reduced projected global temperature rise from four degrees Celsius to 2.6 degrees, if current national climate plans are fully implemented. He emphasised the need for more ambitious and faster plans for 2035.

EU President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the EU remains on track to meet its 2030 target of cutting emissions by 55%, with its 2035 reduction target set between 66% and 72%.

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