WASHINGTON, D.C. –(ENEWSPF)—June 30, 2015. Today, China submitted its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC), a significant commitment to curb carbon pollution and climate disrupting emissions that continues to build momentum leading up to the COP21 climate negotiations in Paris later this year. China’s commitment comes on the heels of the landmark U.S.-China climate action deal last November. The U.S. submitted its INDC in March of this year. According to early reporting, China’s plan includes a new carbon intensity target that was not announced last year, and also includes the previously announced goal of cutting its carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by between 60 percent and 65 percent by 2030 from a 2005 baseline. That builds on China’s previous target of cutting its carbon intensity by 40 percent to 45 percent by 2020 from 2005 levels. The plan also anticipates over $6 trillion in investments in the clean energy economy over the next 15 years.
In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune released the following statement:
“It is impossible to ignore the momentum building toward real climate action any longer. Today’s announcement represents the completion of an unprecedented commitment between the world’s two largest economies, and two biggest polluters, to work together to tackle the climate crisis. This is a massive step toward reaching a deal in Paris between all of the world’s major emitters, and an indicator that the transition from dirty fossil fuels to clean energy is speeding up worldwide. In fact, China is now set to add enough clean energy capacity by 2030 to power the entire U.S. electrical system.
“None of this is happening in a vacuum. The leaders of the G7 made it clear earlier this month that it is committed to getting off of fossil fuels completely over the course of the century. Grassroots efforts in the U.S. like the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign are scoring major victories in the fight to retire dirty coal plants and spur clean energy growth, while the landmark Clean Power Plan will cut carbon pollution and protect communities. And just two weeks ago, Pope Francis laid out the moral case for climate action in a historic encyclical. All told, the arguments of those who would stand in the way of climate action are being disarmed as momentum for solutions to this global crisis grows by the day.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 2.4 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.
Source: www.sierraclub.org
