Landmark pledges

The updated commitment announced by the president has gone far beyond the 2065-70 global carbon neutrality schedule under the Paris Agreement, which aims to keep the global temperature rise this century well below 2 C above preindustrial levels, said Xie Zhenhua, China's former special representative for climate change affairs.

"This bold target may move global carbon neutrality ahead of the schedule by five to 10 years. It will also play a key role in promoting stronger global climate governance," he said, adding that the move shows that the country has lived up to its responsibility as a major country.

According to research coalition Climate Action Tracker, if China's goal is achieved, it will lower global warming projections by around 0.2 to 0.3 degrees alone by 2100, the biggest single reduction ever estimated by the coalition.

"This is a landmark announcement as China has set out an ultimate endpoint emissions target," said Helen Clarkson, CEO of the London-based Climate Group, an international nonprofit organization.

With the European Union also looking to increase its target, this is helping to ensure that the world stays aligned to the goals of the Paris Agreement, she said.

"There is no doubt that efforts from China will play a major role in shaping how the rest of the world progresses on climate action, especially in the absence of US federal leadership," she said.

In November 2019, the United States formally notified the UN that the country was withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, and the withdrawal is still in process.

Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund, a US-based NGO, said the announcement of the new commitment is of great significance.

"This could be another milestone in China's efforts to address its contribution to climate change. … If that vision becomes a reality, it will represent an enormous step toward what the world needs to avoid the most dangerous impacts of climate change," he said in a statement.

At a virtual meeting on Sept 14, Chinese and EU leaders decided to establish a China-EU High Level Environment and Climate Dialogue. "The foundations laid during the recent EU-China dialogue pave the way for greater cooperation going forward," said Krupp.

"A step up on climate action from China, Europe and the US, which together account for more than half the world's emissions, would be a real game changer. We now have two of the three out of the gate. America needs to get back in the fight."

"I welcome China's ambition to curb emissions and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. It's an important step in our global fight against climate change under the Paris Agreement," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on social media on Wednesday, adding that "we will work with China on this goal".