At a United Nations climate summit in New York, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that China would cut its carbon emissions by 7 to 10 percent over the next decade. He also pledged to expand wind and solar power to six times their 2020 levels and accelerate electric vehicle sales. Speaking to world leaders by video, Xi declared that the transition to cleaner energy was the “trend of our time.” He added, “While some country is acting against it, the international community should stay focused on the right direction.”

Xi framed the pledges as part of China’s responsibilities under the Paris Agreement, saying, “These targets represent China’s best efforts based on the requirements of the Paris Agreement. Meeting these targets requires both painstaking efforts by China itself, and a supportive and open international environment.” By casting China as a responsible actor on the world stage, Xi attempted to contrast his country’s posture with the United States under President Donald Trump, who has pulled out of the Paris Agreement for a second time.

Trump calls climate pledges a scam

The day before Xi spoke, Trump delivered a very different message at the UN General Assembly. He dismissed global climate efforts as a “hoax” and a “con job,” warning leaders that they would “lose the global energy race” by focusing on wind and solar rather than fossil fuels. Trump said bluntly, “If you don’t get away from the green energy scam, your country is going to fail.”

He also accused China of hypocrisy, noting that it produces wind turbines for export while failing to use them at home. “Those windmills are so pathetic and so bad,” Trump said. “And most of them are built in China and I give China a lot of credit. They build them, but they have very few wind farms. So why is it that they build them and they send them all over the world, but they barely use them?”

Coal keeps climbing

China’s own statistics show the gap between its promises and its actions. In 2024, the country began construction on 94.5 gigawatts of new coal-fired power plants, the highest level in a decade. Approvals for new projects soared to nearly 67 gigawatts in the second half of the year, compared with only 9 gigawatts in the first half. On top of that, work resumed on 3.3 gigawatts of previously suspended projects.

These numbers ensure coal’s dominance in China’s power system for decades to come. According to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, “A substantial number of new plants will come online in the next 2-3 years, further solidifying coal’s role in the power system.” The report also notes that three quarters of these new coal projects are financed by coal-mining companies or energy groups tied to coal operations, underscoring the industry’s power.

Coal retirements, meanwhile, have slowed to a crawl. In 2020, China retired about 13 gigawatts of coal capacity. By 2024 that number had dropped to just 2.5 gigawatts. Rather than phasing out fossil fuels, Beijing is doubling down.

Green on paper, black in practice

On paper, China looks impressive. By the end of 2024, its solar capacity had reached 890 gigawatts and wind capacity climbed to 520 gigawatts. These figures are far larger than those of the United States. But stacked against China’s massive 1,200 gigawatts of coal power, the picture changes. Renewables are being added on top of coal, not in place of it.

Reports also suggest that renewable energy curtailment—where solar and wind go unused because the grid gives priority to coal—is being understated. Official figures claim curtailment was only 3.2 percent in late 2024, but independent analysis suggests it was closer to 5.5 percent. In effect, even when cleaner energy is available, the system is built to favor coal.

Greenpeace East Asia called the new targets disappointing. Yao Zhe, a global policy adviser with the group, said, “Even for those with tempered expectations, what’s presented today still falls short. This 2035 target offers little assurance to keep our planet safe, but what’s hopeful is that the actual decarbonization of China’s economy is likely to exceed its target on paper.”

Hypocrisy beyond China’s borders

China’s contradictions extend far beyond its own territory. Through its Belt and Road Initiative, it funds mines, dams, and industrial projects across Asia and Africa that damage ecosystems and pollute rivers. A Zambian lawyer described a toxic spill from a Chinese copper mine that devastated farmland and water supplies, warning that desperate residents were being pushed into unfair deals. In Indonesia, strikes and protests erupted against Chinese nickel operations accused of severe environmental violations.

Deforestation linked to Chinese imports of soy, palm oil, and timber is another hidden footprint. A Forest Trends analysis found that Chinese demand for tropical commodities was linked to up to five percent of global deforestation emissions between 2013 and 2022. None of this counts in China’s official carbon reporting under the Paris Agreement.

China also contributes heavily to plastic pollution and illegal fishing. It is the world’s largest producer of marine debris and subsidizes the globe’s largest distant-water fishing fleet. Despite promises of “zero tolerance,” Chinese vessels have been accused worldwide of illegal and destructive practices that erode global fish stocks.

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo summed up the problem, saying too much of China’s economy runs on “willful disregard for air, land, and water quality.”

Trump’s warning rings true

Xi Jinping wants the world to see China as a climate leader. He points to ambitious clean energy targets and boasts of new technologies. But the numbers tell another story. In 2024, China accounted for 93 percent of all new coal construction worldwide. Even with record solar and wind installations, coal still dominates the country’s energy system, and its grip is tightening.

Trump warned the world that China’s climate strategy was not about saving the planet but about securing its own power and industrial growth. “If you don’t get away from the green energy scam, your country is going to fail,” he told leaders at the UN. His words may sound blunt, but they capture a reality that China’s pledges cannot hide.

Beijing’s green promises are polished for international audiences. Its coal plants, its overseas projects, and its appetite for commodities reveal the truth. China is pursuing energy security at any cost, even if it means higher emissions, poisoned rivers, and forests cut down abroad. For all the talk of global leadership, the evidence points to what Trump called it: a scam.