Xi Jinping Tells the World: “No Country Gets a Free Pass on Climate Action” at UN Summit

While some world leaders arrived in New York with vague promises and diplomatic pleasantries, China’s President Xi Jinping took a firmer tone at the UN Climate Summit 2025, even if he delivered it via video.

Marking ten years since the Paris Agreement, Xi made it clear that this anniversary isn’t for celebration, it’s a wake-up call.

“This Is No Time for Excuses”

Speaking at a high-level climate event hosted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Xi used his platform to urge world leaders to stop dragging their feet. Without naming names, he criticised countries that are “going against the trend”, a thinly veiled swipe at governments rolling back climate pledges or reigniting fossil fuel investments.

South Africans watching online were quick to point out the irony:

“I’ll take the message, but let’s not pretend China’s smokestacks are made of oxygen,” wrote one X user.

Another commented, “Everyone talks climate justice until it affects trade.”

Still, Xi’s message landed: no nation, whether rich or developing can afford to sit this one out.

China Puts New Numbers on the Table

Unlike many speeches heavy on rhetoric, Xi came armed with targets:

• Net greenhouse emissions to fall by 7%–10% from peak levels

• Non-fossil fuels to make up over 30% of China’s total energy consumption

• Wind and solar power capacity to grow to six times 2020 levels, hitting 3,600 GW

• Forest stock to exceed 24 billion cubic meters

• National carbon market expansion covering all major polluting sectors

For context, 3,600 GW of renewables would be more power than the entire U.S. grid currently produces. That’s massive even if China is also still burning record amounts of coal.

The Heart of His Message: Climate Justice

Xi laid down three principles, confidence, responsibility, and cooperation, but the second point was the kicker. He reiterated a long-standing divide:

Developing nations cannot be expected to sacrifice growth while rich countries continue polluting.

He also reminded Western governments of their unfulfilled climate finance promises, a diplomatic way of saying, “Pay up.”

This is a familiar fault line in climate politics. Africa, Latin America, and much of Asia argue that wealthy nations industrialised for centuries without restraint, now they expect others to leap straight into renewables without the same economic cushion.

So, What’s Different This Time?

The tone. Xi’s speech was not defensive, it was assertive.

China is positioning itself not just as a participant in climate diplomacy, but as a standard-setter. With the U.S. election cycle casting uncertainty over its own commitments and Europe facing internal energy crises, Beijing sees an opening to claim moral and market, leadership in the green transition.

Will the World Listen?

Maybe. But the public reaction online suggests growing fatigue.

“Every summit, same pledges, different fonts,” said one Cape Town activist.

“Wake me when someone actually shuts down a coal plant,” added another.

Still, in an era of backsliding, even symbolic leadership matters.

Xi Jinping’s message was straightforward: The climate crisis is no longer a diplomatic talking point,  it’s a political deadline.

And while his pledge comes from a country that remains both the world’s biggest polluter and biggest investor in green tech, one thing is clear:

If China moves, the world will have to follow or get left behind.

{Source: IOL}

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