Dear Friend,

Tenā koe.

Climate change stands as one of the most urgent existential challenges facing humanity today. For China—a nation with over 18,000 kilometers of coastline vulnerable to rising sea levels and extreme weather patterns—tackling this crisis has become not just an environmental imperative but a matter of survival. Over the past decade, China has taken unprecedented steps to reshape its development model, emerging as a global leader in renewable energy adoption and ecological conservation. Yet, alongside these efforts, troubling misconceptions and even disinformation about China's climate actions have circulated online. As China's Ambassador, I feel compelled to share some key, verified facts about China's contributions to addressing climate change.

I. Climate Accountability: Comparing China and the U.S. as Global Emitters

In terms of total carbon emissions, both China and the United States are among the world's largest contributors. However, as the world's second-largest economy and manufacturing powerhouse, China’s per capita carbon emissions are only about half those of the United States, ranking 20th globally. China's cumulative per capita carbon emissions are just one-eighth of the U.S. level and one-fourth of the European Union’s. Furthermore, China's per capita energy consumption and residential electricity usage remain significantly below the OECD average.

II. China’s Climate Action: From Commitments to Concrete Results

During the 75th United Nations General Assembly in 2020, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced China’s “dual carbon goals”—to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. This ambitious pledge positions China to undertake the steepest reduction in carbon intensity ever attempted by a major economy, compressing its transition from peak emissions to net zero into just three decades. No other industrialized nation has set such an aggressive timeline for this transformation.

However, these targets are not mere aspirational rhetoric; they are grounded in a proven track record of systemic reforms and have catalyzed accelerated decarbonization efforts. Over the past decade, China has emerged as a global leader in energy efficiency, reducing its energy intensity faster than any other major economy. Since 2013, the country has reduced its energy consumption per unit of GDP by 34%, saving approximately 1.4 billion metric tons of standard coal. Remarkably, this progress was achieved while maintaining an average annual economic growth rate of 6%, supported by a modest 3.2% yearly increase in energy consumption.

The renewable energy revolution has fundamentally transformed China's power grid. By September 2024, renewable energy capacity reached 1,250 gigawatts, accounting for over 40% of total power capacity. Non-fossil fuel sources now generate nearly 40% of China’s electricity—surpassing the target initially set for 2030, six years ahead of schedule.

Parallel to its energy transition, China has led the world’s largest greening initiative. By the end of 2023, the country had restored 11.2 million hectares of land, including 8.76 million hectares of artificial forests—the largest planted forest system in the world. Satellite data shows that one-quarter of Earth’s new green areas since 2000 have been in China.

Even as China accelerates its transition to renewable energy, it has committed to a comprehensive overhaul of its coal sector. Since 2014, every new coal-fired power plant in China has incorporated ultra-supercritical (USC) or ultra-low emission technologies, reducing coal consumption by 20% compared to traditional units. These advancements have significantly cut emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulates, making them comparable to those from natural gas plants. By 2022, China had retired over 100 gigawatts of outdated coal capacity, with advanced USC systems now powering 90% of its remaining coal facilities.

III. Reengineering Global Governance: China's Multilateral Climate Leadership

For years, China has been a steadfast partner to developing countries—particularly Least Developed Countries (LDCs), landlocked nations, and small island states—in addressing climate change through robust South-South cooperation. In 2015, China launched the China Climate South-South Cooperation Fund, with an initial investment of 20 billion RMB (approximately US$2.8 billion), dedicated to supporting vulnerable nations. Since 2016, together with other developing countries, China has established 10 low-carbon demonstration zones, implemented more than 100 climate mitigation and adaptation projects, and offered over 1,000 specialized training opportunities annually. Furthermore, China has provided aid for over 200 projects focused on enhancing climate resilience across developing nations.

By November 2024, China had signed 52 climate cooperation agreements with 42 developing countries. The country also organized more than 300 workshops and training programs, equipping over 10,000 professionals from 120 nations with advanced skills to tackle climate change. Recognizing the existential threats faced by island nations, China established the China-Pacific Island Countries Climate Change Cooperation Center in 2022. To date, the center has trained nearly 100 climate experts from Pacific island nations and supplied critical infrastructure, including photovoltaic power systems and solar streetlights, to Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, and Kiribati. These efforts have been directly assisting island nations in transitioning to low-carbon economies and fortifying their resilience against rising sea levels and extreme weather events.

IV. The Clean Tech Advancement: China’s Role in Shaping Tomorrow’s Energy Landscape

In the past decade, China has made significant strides in renewable energy technology, becoming the global leader in research, development, and manufacturing of critical components. By the end of 2023, China held over 70% of the world’s patents in wind and solar power technologies, solidifying its position as the innovation hub for clean energy.

China now operates the world’s largest and most comprehensive renewable energy supply chain. For 16 consecutive years, the country has led global production of photovoltaic modules and wind turbines, supplying 70% of the world’s solar panels and 60% of wind power equipment. This industrial scale has dramatically reduced the cost of wind and solar electricity generation—by more than 60% and 80%, respectively, since 2010. In 2023 alone, China accounted for more than half of the world’s new renewable energy installations, and its total clean power capacity now exceeds the combined totals of the United States, European Union, and India, representing 40% of the global installed capacity.

China is also the global leader in electric vehicles, producing and selling 70% of the world’s new energy vehicles (NEVs) for the past decade. As the largest investor in the global energy transition, China has directed half of the world’s total renewable energy investments over the past decade. In 2024, China’s domestic energy transition spending surged to US$818 billion, a 20% annual increase that surpassed combined investments from the United States, European Union, and the United Kingdom. This alone represented two-thirds of the world’s total increase in clean energy infrastructure spending for the year.

To conclude, China’s climate journey is a testament to its unshakable commitment to balancing ecological imperatives with shared prosperity. As a responsible and engaged actor in global governance, China is ready to collaborate with nations worldwide—whether developed or developing—to strengthen climate resilience and accelerate the transition to a sustainable, net-zero future. Through innovation and collective action, a cleaner, greener world is within reach.

Ngā mihi.

Sincerely yours,

Wang Xiaolong

Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand (Cook Islands, Niue)