Is China's climate change plan adequate?

This past fall, Obama and President Xi Jinping finally came to a climate change agreement: China’s carbon emissions will peak around 2030 and the United States will cut carbon emissions by at least 26% from 2005 levels by 2025. As China and the United States are the two biggest carbon emitters in the world right now, this is an important agreement. However, are their goals enough to keep the global temperature from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius?

Many scientists believe that waiting until 2030 for China’s emissions to peak may be too late if we are to keep global warming from rising above the 2°C limit. Instead, China should try to peak their emissions by 2025. Based on the huge coal consumption numbers in China, some leaders are working on cutting back the country’s dependence on coal. Not only would this reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but it would also help rid China of the toxic smog surrounding the country’s cities.

President Obama and President Xi Jinping drink a toast at the APEC Summit: Greg Baker

In addition to halting the growth of its emissions, China agreed to make 20% of its energy renewable by 2030. Chinese officials have been looking into wind, solar, and hydroelectric, and nuclear power as possible alternatives to coal. 9.8% of China’s energy came from renewable energy sources in 2013, so it seems probable that it will reach 20% by 2030.

While China still has a long way to go towards sustainability, the fact that the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the world has pledged to at least do something in regards to its tremendous pollution is significant.  

Source: The New York Times