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What plans did China submit before the Paris Agreement concerning its carbon dioxide emissions?
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Paris Agreement
(From left) José Gurría, Justin Trudeau, Enrique Peña Nieto, Jim Yong Kim, François Hollande, Angela Merkel, Michelle Bachelet, and Hailemariam Desalegn during the 2015 UN climate change conference that resulted in the Paris Agreement.
In the lead-up to the 2015 Paris Agreement, countries were tasked with submitting Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) to outline their strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
China, which holds the distinction of having the largest total greenhouse gas emissions, submitted the following targets as part of its contribution:
- Peaking Emissions: The country aimed for its carbon dioxide emissions to peak "around 2030," while also committing to making "best efforts to peak early."1
- Emissions Intensity: Chinese officials pledged to lower carbon dioxide emissions per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) by 60–65 percent compared to 2005 levels.1