Declaration by President Xi at the United Nations General Debate
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China no longer wants to build coal-fired power plants abroad
Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks in a tape message during the 76th General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Photo: DPA/Babeto Mathews
New York According to President Xi Jinping, China no longer wants to build new coal-fired power plants abroad. The Chinese head of state and party made the announcement in their recorded speech at the United Nations General Debate in New York on Tuesday.
In the fight against global warming, China no longer wants to build coal-fired power plants overseas. “China will extend its support to other developing countries to develop green energy and energy with low CO2 emissions and will not build any new coal-fired power plants abroad,” President Xi Jinping told the United Nations General on Tuesday. Said in general debate. Assembly in New York. Environmental protection organizations welcomed the announcement.
When it comes to economic development, the focus should be on “the harmony between people and nature”, Xi said in his video address at the general debate at the UN General Assembly, on which US President Joe Biden demonstrates his leadership as rising want. Competition with China. Biden vowed to double Washington’s contribution to the countries most affected by climate change.
China is currently pursuing infrastructure and other construction projects in several countries as part of its new Silk Road project – and is also open to coal power. The state-owned Bank of China is the world’s largest coal projects financier and has invested about $35 billion (€29.8 billion) in the sector since the 2015 Paris Agreement, according to a group of non-governmental organizations.
China – the world’s most populous country and the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases – is also investing heavily in domestic coal power to secure economic growth. Last year, coal-fired power plants with a total capacity of 38.4 GW were connected to the grid. The country is also planning 368 new power plants with a capacity of 187 gigawatts, according to a report by the Carbon Tracker expert group in June.
The Chinese government has announced that it will reduce CO2 emissions before 2030. The country should be CO2 neutral by 2060. “It means a lot of hard work and we will do everything possible to achieve these goals,” Xi said in his video address on Tuesday.
China’s announcement that it would stop building coal-fired power plants overseas followed similar moves by South Korea and Japan – the only other countries to invest heavily in coal projects.
Climate protection organization 350.org has welcomed China’s announcement. May represent a “real turning point” depending on how the plans are implemented. Helen Mountford of the World Resources Institute spoke of a “historic turning point away from the dirtiest fossil fuel”. However, he pointed out that China is still producing coal in its country. In addition, private donors will also have to take steps to phase out coal.
Greenpeace China’s Li Shuo said, “China’s plans “can certainly help the world, especially developing countries, move away from fossil fuels.” The announcement is significant as China is by far one of the largest donors of coal. has been one of
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the “significant” announcements by the US and China in New York were “encouraging”. But much more needs to be done to tackle climate change.
The Paris Climate Protection Agreement aims to limit global warming to less than two degrees compared to the pre-industrial era, but to 1.5 degrees if possible, and is considered a milestone in the fight against climate change. A recently published United Nations report sees the Earth on a dangerous path of warming by 2.7 degrees without a radical change in direction. The next UN climate conference COP26 will take place in Glasgow, Scotland from 31 October to 12 November.
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