“China always honours its commitments.” So began a speech in late 2020 by Xi Jinping, the most powerful Chinese leader since Mao Zedong, just months after he stunned the UN General Assembly in New York with a promise to cut China’s net carbon dioxide emissions to nearly zero by 2060.
Barely three years later, however, and President Xi’s hallmark climate commitments — which also include a promise for China to hit peak carbon before 2030 — are once again making the news.
Many environmentalists believe a renewed coal frenzy threatens to undermine Xi’s ambitions. Other analysts, however, claim unprecedented investments and technological advances in renewable energy mean China is on track to hit Xi’s targets, possibly even ahead of time.