Climate Change: China steps up

China has increased its climate change ambition, and set a target to be carbon-neutral by 2060:

China will reach carbon neutrality before 2060 and ensure its greenhouse gas emissions peak in the next decade, Xi Jinping has told the UN general assembly.

“China will scale up its intended nationally determined contributions [under the Paris climate agreement] by adopting more vigorous policies and measures,” the Chinese president said, calling for a “green recovery” from the coronavirus pandemic.

The unexpectedly forthright commitment will give fresh impetus to the UN’s efforts to galvanise action on the climate crisis, which has been flagging as the coronavirus has wreaked havoc on the world’s societies and economies this year.

Its a decade later than the 2050 date set by most industrialised countries (including New Zealand), but that's what "common but differentiated responsibilities" means. Historically, China was less industrialised, and polluted less; while they've pretty much caught up, an extra decade to sort out their mess recognises that.

And now the USA really has no excuse whatsoever not to adopt a climate neutrality target. If they refuse to, then they are the common enemy of all humanity, and we should treat them as such.