Five years on, president Xi Jinping just told China that it is in the “driving seat” when it comes to preserving the planet for future generations.
Speaking at the opening session of the 19th Communist Party congress on Wednesday (Oct. 18), Xi turned early in his remarks to “ecological civilization.”
He noted that China had made major efforts to reduce consumption and save resources, and that these steps were paying off domestically—and setting an example globally.
“Any harm we inflict on nature will eventually return to haunt us… this is a reality we have to face,” Xi told the congress about an hour from the end, adding that China must “develop a new model of modernization with humans developing in harmony with nature.”.
“We will get actively involved in global environmental governance and fulfill our emissions reductions,” Xi promised on Wednesday.
In early September, China also said it planned to phase out fossil fuel-powered cars although no specific timeline has been revealed yet.
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