China Voice: More sincere acts needed to save the Earth

As leaders and diplomats gather in Paris to discuss saving the Earth, China announced it had completed the groundwork on its largest solar power tower plant.

Once fully operational, the plant, on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, will supply electricity to 1 million households, cut annual coal use by 4.26 million tonnes and reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide by 896,000 tonnes and 8,080 tonnes.

This is not just an isolated example, China is the world leader in clean energy investment. The numbers speak for themselves: In 2014, the government spent 89 billion U.S. dollars on green energy, accounting for 29 percent of global investment in the sector, and, in the same year, carbon emissions per unit of GDP was 33.8 percent lower than the 2005 level.

Regardless of China's measures, however, it will take the commitment, and action, of more than one country to really make a difference.

At the Paris Conference of the Parties (COP21), which opened on Monday, many eyes were on China. Of course the usual rhetoric of "the world's second largest economy and the biggest emitter of emissions" continued to be thrown about in an attempt to amplify its climate change obligations. However, it is high time that nations begin to acknowledge that China has never hesitated in the pursuit of hitting its targets.

Isn't it telling what is less reported? Such as China, the biggest developing country and the world's most populous nation, has to lift another 70.17 million people out of poverty in the next five years. And, just like other developing countries, it is striving to offer its people universal access to quality education, housing and medical care, which developed nations have enjoyed for decades.

While pursuing social policy to improve the lives of its citizens, China has remained committed to its environmental measures. Over the last 20 years it contributed to more than half of the global total saved energy, and has promised more.

It pledged to cut its carbon emissions per unit of GDP by 60 to 65 percent from 2005 levels by 2030, as outlined in its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC), submitted ahead of the Paris talks.

It vowed to increase non-fossil fuel sources in primary energy consumption to about 20 percent and peak its carbon emissions by the same date.

With full sincerity, China wants the Paris conference to be a success, and will support any "comprehensive and balanced" binding deal.

In September, despite the domestic economic downturn, President Xi Jinping announced a 20 billion yuan (3.1 billion U.S. dollars) fund that would help other developing countries cope with climate change.

Developed countries have been generous with their verbal promises, yet their commitment leaves a lot to be desired.

The biggest emitters must do more to live up to their side of the "common but differentiated" bargain.

"Just like in a car race: it would be neither reasonable nor fair to apply the same speed requirements to cars which have run far ahead and those which have only just left the starting point. Developed countries should do more and lead the way in addressing climate change," Xi said in a written interview in October.

Many developed nations are making good on their promises, and hopefully all will be inked in a final, powerful, legally binding climate deal. Endi