China Played It Safe With First Pledge to Cut Greenhouse Emissions

News Snapshot:

China has finally set a goal to slash greenhouse gases from peak levels, using a United Nations climate event on Wednesday to outline its first proposed cuts to planet-warming pollution. The commitment falls short of what scientists estimate is needed to avoid passing the global warming limits enshrined in the Paris Agreement. It’s also less ambitious than cuts achieved by other countries, including Germany and Japan, after their emissions peaked. But the announcement from Chinese President Xi Jinping in a video appearance at a special UN meeting in New York marks a turning point for the world’s biggest emitter. Previously,...