While some Western voices attempt to deflect responsibility by nitpicking developing countries, even the most skeptical observers can hardly overlook the concrete actions made by China in the past decade.

BEIJING, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- As the world confronts the mounting urgency of the climate crisis, attention is increasingly drawn to the widening gap between global expectations and the actions actually taken to tackle it.

While some Western voices attempt to deflect responsibility by nitpicking developing countries, even the most skeptical observers can hardly overlook the concrete actions made by China in the past decade.

This contrast has become even more pronounced as the United States retreats once again from its own pledges -- quitting the Paris Agreement yet again, dismissing climate change as a "hoax," and even forgoing participation in the 30th United Nations climate change conference (COP30).

At the same time, China firmly upholds the multilateral mechanisms established by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, having made historic and significant contributions to the adoption and implementation of the Paris Agreement.

In September, China set its first-ever absolute emission reduction target, committing to reducing economy-wide net greenhouse gas emissions from peak levels by 7 percent to 10 percent by 2035.

Official data show that China's installed renewable energy capacity totaled 2.159 billion kilowatts by the end of June 2025, accounting for approximately 59.2 percent of its total installed power generation capacity. The proportion of non-fossil energy consumption in its overall energy consumption rose from 15.9 percent in 2020 to 19.8 percent in 2024.

Over the past decade, China has actively promoted the global green transition, supplying 60 percent of the world's wind power equipment and 70 percent of its photovoltaics, driving global wind and solar power generation costs down by more than 60 percent and 80 percent, respectively.

China has also strengthened South-South cooperation on climate change response. To date, China has implemented over 300 capacity-building projects, and provided training for more than 10,000 personnel from over 120 developing countries. Since 2016, China has mobilized and provided project funding exceeding 177 billion yuan (about 25 billion U.S. dollars) to assist other developing countries in addressing climate change, supporting their climate action efforts significantly.

China's steady progress and contributions underscore that what the world needs now is not more finger-pointing, but genuine collective action. Climate change is a global challenge that no country -- developed or developing -- can escape. Yet too often, the West's ambitious rhetoric is not matched by meaningful follow-through, widening the trust deficit in global climate governance.

Today, the world urgently needs developed countries -- historically the largest emitters -- to honor their responsibilities with concrete deeds.

This includes delivering on long-overdue climate finance commitments, accelerating green technology transfer, and abandoning the double standards that hold developing nations to expectations far beyond their historical responsibilities and current capacities. Empty promises and shifting blame only delay the global response and weaken momentum for the green transition.

The worsening climate crisis has left humanity with no time to waste. As wildfires, floods and droughts increasingly shape daily life across continents, the call for action grows ever more urgent. The world cannot afford another cycle of unmet pledges and missed deadlines. What it needs is unity, responsibility and decisive action, starting now.■