Crossroads of a decade in climate governance: China forges ahead, while the US remains mired in 'hoax' myths

Editor's Note: Liu Xu is an executive director of the Center for International Energy and Environment Strategy Studies at Renmin University of China. The article reflects the author's views, and not necessarily those of CGTN.

The 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was held in Brazil, marking the first Conference of the Parties since the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement. China sent a high-ranking official delegation, including senior officials in charge of climate affairs, clean technology scientists, and entrepreneurs. In contrast, the United States, the world's largest economy and the largest historical emitter, did not send an official delegation. China's participation and its achievements in emission reduction over the past decade have positioned it as a crucial force in driving the global green transition.

China has built the world's largest and fastest-growing renewable energy system, establishing the most comprehensive new energy industrial chain globally, supplying over 80 percent of the world's photovoltaic modules and 70 percent of wind power equipment. Over the past decade, China has driven down the average cost of electricity for wind and solar projects by more than 60 and 80 percent, respectively. By 2024, China's share of non-fossil energy in primary energy consumption reached 19.8 percent. China has also established the world's largest carbon emissions trading market by coverage, now including steel, cement, and aluminum smelting industries, effectively regulating over 60 percent of the country's total carbon emissions. China has set a goal to increase the share of non-fossil energy consumption to over 30 percent by 2035.

The official US delegation was absent from this conference, a first for any US administration. On the first day of his second presidential term, Donald Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the United States from the Paris Agreement. The US per capita carbon emissions are three times the global average, far surpassing China's. In recent years, as the "largest historical contributor" to current global warming, the US has wavered in its climate policies or even regressed. The US blocked the adoption of an international cap on plastic production, opposed the EU's new regulations requiring corporations to disclose environmental impacts, and prevented the introduction of the world's first shipping carbon fee. The US government has also imposed tariff retaliation against countries supporting climate mitigation efforts. According to a report from Princeton University's Repeat Project, the sweeping repeal of Biden-era climate legislation could derail the United States' path to net zero. The analysis finds that the bill, combined with Trump's planned executive actions, could lead to more than 7 billion tons of additional greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The US government is leveraging its trade influence to pressure the EU, Japan, and others to purchase US oil, gas, and other fossil fuels while deliberately using diplomatic means to obstruct other nations from reducing fossil fuel use. The irresponsible actions of the US have betrayed global expectations and created obstacles to achieving sustainable development worldwide.

Global climate governance has now reached a crossroads. The 1.5-degree temperature control target is highly likely to be breached in the coming years. Humanity is mired in a severe moral and governance crisis. Skepticism about the effectiveness and necessity of COP30 is steadily growing. Due to prolonged and unresolved disputes over critical issues such as funding, technology, and institutional frameworks — failing to achieve binding and responsible consensus — the multilateral path of global climate governance faces increasingly severe challenges. At this critical juncture, major countries worldwide must join hands to overcome difficulties, creating a fair international environment, stable cooperative relationships, and mutually beneficial trade frameworks while ensuring secure and reliable industrial and supply chain safeguards. Addressing climate change requires strengthened cooperation and collective efforts among nations to accelerate the energy transition in a fair, orderly, and just manner, promote collaboration in low-carbon technologies and industries, facilitate the free flow of high-quality green products, and jointly build a fair, equitable, and mutually beneficial global climate governance system, of which, China will play an even more significant role in the future.