Why China, as a developing nation, still committed to carbon reductions

A view of a project that integrates wind and solar power generation with fish farming in Yancheng, East China's Jiangsu Province, on May 28, 2025 Photo: VCG

"Some media reports suggest that certain developed countries have already abandoned their carbon reduction efforts. As a developing country, why does China still remain committed to cutting carbon emissions?" This is a question posed by a reader on people.cn. 

Reducing carbon emissions is not undertaken at others' request but is an unwavering commitment China has chosen to pursue.

First, we must discuss what is "carbon." In the context of "carbon reduction," the term "carbon" does not refer to the chemical element itself, but to greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, which contribute to the greenhouse effect. Among these, carbon dioxide is most closely associated with human activities and is thus commonly used as a representative indicator. In everyday language, "carbon dioxide" is often abbreviated simply as "carbon."

Why reduce carbon?

Carbon reduction is urgently needed because global warming poses a serious threat to human survival and the continuity of civilization.

The United Nations has repeatedly warned of a direct link between rising greenhouse gas emissions and the growing frequency and severity of climate-related disasters, as global warming accelerates. Data from the World Meteorological Organization show that 2024 was the hottest year on record, with extreme weather events seen in many parts of the world. Compared with the early 2000s, the frequency of record-breaking monthly rainfall in 2024 increased by 27 percent, while the frequency of record-breaking daily rainfall rose by 52 percent, according to Xinhua.

No country is immune to the impacts of global warming. In China, the China Climate Bulletin released by the China Meteorological Administration showed that in 2024, the national average temperature reached 10.9 C, the highest since records began in 1951. The number of high-temperature days exceeded the average by 6.6 days, the second-highest since 1961. 

Annual precipitation reached 697.7 millimeters, 9 percent above normal levels. Climate-related natural disasters disrupted agricultural production and threatened lives and property.

Beyond climate security, there are also deeper reasons for carbon reduction at both international and domestic levels.

At the international level, carbon reduction is an urgent need for China to take the initiative to shoulder the responsibilities of a major country and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Carbon emissions reduction allows China to maintain strategic initiative amid the global shift toward green and low-carbon development. China's decarbonization efforts also assist developing countries in strengthening their climate resilience, thereby contributing to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

As a key participant, contributor, and leader in advancing global ecological civilization, China plays an active role in international environmental governance and continues to enhance its voice and influence in the global environmental governance system. The country has established the world's largest and most complete new-energy industrial chain. In 2023 alone, China's exports of wind and solar products helped other countries reduce carbon emissions by approximately 810 million tones.

Domestically, carbon reduction is conducive to driving China's green and low-carbon transition and ensuring sustainable development. It is conducive to meeting the people's growing demand for a beautiful ecological environment and promoting harmonious coexistence between man and nature.

China has made significant progress in optimizing its energy mix, with significant growth in hydropower, nuclear, wind, and solar power generation. These efforts have contributed not only to lower carbon emissions but also led to a significant decline in PM2.5 and other air pollutants. From 2015 to 2023, the average PM2.5 concentration in prefecture-level cities and above fell by more than 30 percent. From 2013 to 2022, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region saw its GDP grow 60 percent, while the region's PM2.5 levels dropped by more than 60 percent. 

Achieving sustainable devt

Carbon reduction is conducive to solving prominent problems of resource and environmental constraints and achieving sustainable development. China leads the world in total installed capacity of wind, solar, hydro, and biomass energy. 

In the past decade, the proportion of coal in China's energy consumption has dropped by 12.6 percentage points. From 2013 to 2023, China's annual economic growth rate of 6.1 percent was supported by an average annual energy consumption growth rate of 3.3 percent. In 2023, renewable energy accounted for approximately one-third of the nation's total electricity consumption.

Carbon reduction is conducive to adapting to the trend of technological progress and promoting the transformation and upgrading of economic structure. China has phased out more than 150 million tons of outdated steel production capacity, completed ultra-low emissions transformation of 134 million tons of steel throughout the process, and built the world's largest, most complete and most competitive clean energy industry chain. China's output of polysilicon, silicon wafers, battery cells and modules accounts for more than 80 percent of the world's total, and wind turbine manufacturing capacity accounts for 60 percent of the world's total.

This shows that while reducing carbon emissions, development is also achieved. Thinking about why to reduce carbon emissions is essentially exploring how to develop.

The development China pursues is one that meets the people's growing aspirations for a better life and embodies the new development philosophy.

While some countries have backtracked from their carbon reduction commitments, China has remained unwavering. Green development forms the foundation of high-quality development, and carbon reduction is an inherent requirement for promoting high-quality development. While reducing carbon emissions, we are also achieving a shift in our development model.

When the wind from Zhangbei in North China's Hebei Province powers the lights of Beijing, and "blue skies and starry nights" become a daily norm, such deep romance and steadfast sense of security are truly captivating.

China's unwavering commitment to carbon emissions reduction is fundamentally driven by China's own desire to upgrade its economic development model, said Li Changan, a professor at the Academy of China Open Economy Studies at the University of International Business and Economics. 

"The country is shifting away from a resource-intensive and extensive growth approach toward one that is innovation-driven and efficiency-oriented. This transformation naturally brings higher environmental standards, including stricter targets for emission reductions, making decarbonization a strategic necessity," he told the Global Times on Monday.

Li noted that China has already built a competitive edge in green, low-carbon, and new-energy sectors, which provides a solid foundation for the country to stay the course on green development and accelerate its low-carbon transition.

Optimizing the energy mix and advancing renewable energy, Li said, are not only vital to supporting green development but also crucial for enhancing national energy security and preserving strategic autonomy.