China halts new coal-fired power plants abroad in boost for climate action

Name: What is China doing about climate change?
Uploaded: 2021-09-22T09:27:27.000Z
Duration: 6 min 55 s
Description: What is China doing about climate change?

President Xi Jinping tells UN General Assembly that China will support low-carbon energy and stop building coal-fired projects

UN and US welcome the move, but observers warn that private sector must follow governments’ lead if climate targets are to be met

Reading Time:4 minutes

Why you can trust SCMP

China is the biggest coal producer and the largest public financier of overseas coal-fired power plants. Photo: Shutterstock Images

Echo Xie

Published: 5:27pm, 22 Sep 2021Updated: 6:15pm, 22 Sep 2021

Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday that China would stop building new coal-fired power plants abroad, marking a historic shift away from the fossil fuel before the United Nations climate summit in November.

“China will step up support for other developing countries in developing green and low-carbon energy and will not build new coal-fired power projects abroad,” Xi said in pre-recorded remarks to the United Nations General Assembly.

The president’s announcement was welcomed by the international community and described as a boost ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow from October 31, the success of which depends on countries’ willingness to act.

The summit could include efforts to align countries’ emissions reduction targets with the aim of reaching net zero by the middle of the century, and ending use of coal power.

06:55

What is China doing about climate change?

US climate envoy John Kerry welcomed Xi’s announcement, saying it was a “great contribution” and a good beginning to the efforts needed to achieve success at COP26.