China Downplays International Hopes Of Beating Carbon Emissions Targets Ahead Of Meeting With Biden Climate Czar

China’s top ⚡Energy officials dampened hopes that the country’s carbon emissions have already peaked Thursday following July reports the country would stop increasing emissions after this year, according to Bloomberg.

China’s carbon emissions were largely reported in July to be on track to decline or plateau annually this year following data suggesting a reduction in coal usage and an increase in green ⚡Energy output. However, Song Wen, the head of law and institutional reform at China’s National ⚡Energy Administration, downplayed the rumors Thursday, adding that even meeting China’s original carbon emissions target of peaking by 2030 will require “great efforts,” Bloomberg reported.

“We should not forget that China is still a developing country, pursuing modernization for a huge population,” Wen told Bloomberg at a press briefing Thursday. “Great efforts are still needed to achieve the goals of peak carbon and carbon neutrality.”