Avoiding the climate “ambition trap”

At the United Nations General Assembly in September, President Xi of China delivered a noteworthy update in what has been a dismal year for climate news: China would reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 7 to 10% from its peak levels by 2035. For many, this was welcome news. But others deemed China’s pledge insufficiently “ambitious.” Yet the conceptual and political basis for climate ambition is unclear. This matters in a year when countries will submit updated emissions pledges under the Paris Agreement.