Assessing China’s efforts to pursue the 1.5°C warming limit

TLDR

The Paris Agreement aims to limit global warming to 1.5 °C, requiring substantial interventions—especially in industrialized nations—and making negative‑emission technologies essential. China must cut carbon emissions by over 90 % and energy consumption by nearly 40 % to meet its 1.5 °C share, with projected costs of 3–6 % of GDP by 2050. See Duan et al.

Abstract

Change in the air The 2016 Paris Agreement set the ambitious goals of keeping global temperature rise this century below 2°C, or even better, 1.5°C above preindustrial levels. Substantial interventions are required to meet these goals, particularly for industrialized countries. Duan et al. projected that China will need to reduce its carbon emissions by more than 90% and its energy consumption by almost 40% to do its share in reaching the 1.5°C target. Negative emission technology is an essential element of any plan. China's accumulated economic costs by 2050 may be about 3 to 6% of its gross domestic product. Science , this issue p. 378