China’s Climate Ambitions Include a 2060 Carbon Neutral Goal

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The Paris climate deal commits nations to limit global temperature rises to "well below" two degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) from pre-industrial levels through a rapid and sweeping drawdown of greenhouse gas emissions.

'A defining moment'

Joeri Rogelj, a climate expert at Imperial College London's Grantham Institute, called Xi's pledge "unexpected and eye-opening".

"All in all, China's announcement is a defining moment that resets the ambition of global climate action," he said.

The 2060 objective is still less ambitious than the 2050 date set by dozens of small states as well as European powers.

Several experts said it was still a significant step to bring new life to the Paris accords.

"This announcement will send positive shockwaves through diplomatic circles and should prompt greater climate ambition from other major emitters," said Helen Mountford, vice president for climate and economics at the World Resources Institute in Washington.

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But she cautioned that the "devil will be in the details" and said that China should set more specific goals in the nearer term.

Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, a Belgian climate scientist and former Vice-Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a UN expert panel, called Xi's commitment "very important".

But he questioned whether China would follow its own guidelines as it pursues a global infrastructure-building binge — for example if it will still back coal plants in Africa.

"If this coherence is lacking, the progress made in China could be lost due to additional emissions by Chinese-built or -funded fossil infrastructure in developing countries," he said.

Trump on attack

Xi's tone contrasted sharply with that of Trump, who called the Paris Accord negotiated by his predecessor Barack Obama unfair to the United States.