China targets US on climate action after promising carbon neutrality before 2060

China has accused the United States of obstructing the global fight against carbon emissions after Beijing pivoted around climate action at the UN General Assembly. Chinese President Xi Jinping announced his plan to reach carbon emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060 but the details of the roadmap remain unclear.

Beijing has been at loggerheads with the US on several issues including coronavirus outbreak, human rights violations in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, and expansionist behaviour in the Indo-Pacific. At the 75th session of UNGA, Xi opened a new divergence with his pledge on climate action and subsequent targeting of the United States by Chinese foreign ministry.

While China, the world's largest producer of greenhouse gas, believes that richer countries like the US should bear greater responsibility in such action, US President Donald Trump withdrew from the Paris climate agreement citing unfair advantage to India and China. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said in a statement that the US has rejected binding targets and refused to take “even the minimum steps” to protect the planet.

“The US has completely disassociated itself from the global carbon emissions system and arrangements, and seriously held back such global processes as emissions reduction and green and low-carbon development,” the statement read.

“We urge the US to stop playing political games, abandon unilateralism, and live up to its due responsibility to the world,” the spokesperson added.

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Climate concern or politics

Beijing had earlier promised for a greater cut in greenhouse gas emissions but shied away from offering a revised 2030 target even as a United Nations report said there is a need cut emissions by 7.6 per cent every year on an average, to limit the temperature rise close to 1.5 degrees Celcius. The latest announcement has been welcomed by environmentalists but critics wonder whether the new move is aimed at limiting the reputation damaged caused by coronavirus pandemic.

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