As several nations, including China, announced their new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) on emissions, experts and campaigners said the new targets fall well short of what is needed.

Speaking to a special meeting at the United Nations Xi Jinping (above) President of the People’s Republic of China called on leaders to do more but cautioned the fight against climate change was long term effort.

“This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, a pivotal year for countries to submit their new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Global climate governance is entering a key stage,” he said.

“Green and low-carbon transition is the trend of our time. While some country is acting against it, the international community should stay focused on the right direction, remain unwavering in confidence, unremitting in actions and unrelenting in intensity, and push for formulation and delivery on NDCs, with a view to providing more positive energy to the cooperation on global climate governance,” Xio added.

He continued: “The world now faces a huge demand for green development. It is important that countries strengthen international coordination in green technologies and industries to address the shortfall in green production capacity and ensure free flow of quality green products globally, so that the benefits of green development can reach all corners of the world.”

He announced China’s new NDCs pledged that by 2035, the country will reduce economy-wide net greenhouse gas emissions by 7% to 10% from peak levels, increase the share of non-fossil fuels in total energy consumption to over 30%.

Xi concluded: “Great visions require concrete actions. Climate response is an urgent yet long-term task.”

However, experts and campaigners said more was needed.

Ani Dasgupta, President & CEO, World Resources Institute explained: “We cannot sugarcoat it: these new climate plans do not put us anywhere near on track for a safe future. The lack of ambition from most major emitters so far, barring a few, underscores the immense political challenge countries face of transforming their entire economy. Yet vulnerable countries continue to step up with bold climate leadership.

“Countries’ last round of NDCs put the world on track for up to 2.8°C of warming, already exposing billions of people to more frequent and intense heatwaves, wildfires, storms and floods. By 2035, the world needs to cut 31.2 gigatons of emissions to stay on track for 1.5°C, or 20.2 Gt for 2°C. The NDCs and announcements so far would reduce that by just 2 gigatons – only 6% of what’s needed for 1.5°C and 10% for 2°C.

“By COP30, it is critical that all countries deliver the most ambitious possible climate plans, especially the major emitters still missing from the table.”

He added: “The stakes could not be higher. Climate-related disasters cost the world at least $300 billion in 2024 alone, and without stronger steps these losses will continue to escalate. By COP30, all countries must present a clear response and double down on solutions within our grasp to cut emissions and build adequate resilience.”

Climate Analytics CEO Bill Hare warned there needed to be a real commitment to significantly enhance NDCs.

“Without much stronger action this decade the world will face a period of high, prolonged overshoot of the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C warming limit. Overshoot of 1.5°C risks escalating climate impacts, including the emergence of lethal heat across large parts of the planet, and triggering irreversible climate tipping points, such as the disintegration of the Western Antarctic ice sheet, which would lock in metres of sea level rise.”
“Stronger action now is more feasible than it’s ever been, with renewables, batteries and clean technologies deploying at record speed and low cost,” he added. “This decade is the critical decade for a reason – it will never be cheaper or easier to reach our climate goals than it is right now, and we will not have the chance to avoid devastating damages again.”
“We still have time to avoid the worst ravages of climate change, but we must make strides towards it this decade,” Hare concluded. “Anything less would be a betrayal of the most vulnerable to climate change, who face the greatest risks should we lose sight of the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C goal.”

Greenpeace said the “leaders of the world’s biggest polluters failed to signal they are prepared to rapidly step up action to close the 1.5°C ambition gap”, either postponing or submitting lukewarm 2035 climate action plans.

Tracy Carty, Climate Politics Expert, Greenpeace International said: “The US is absent. China and the EU have not raised each other’s ambition enough and even Australia, which is bidding to host COP31, has presented a weak target. Leaders at COP30 must now commit to stronger targets and faster action. Major emitters – especially rich developed countries – need to lead from the front.”