Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

Recently, Ecuador has experienced its worst drought in 61 years, while several European countries are facing serious natural disasters, with floods and wildfires wreaking havoc. This serves as a stark reminder of the climate crisis for all of humanity. Climate issues have repeatedly been a central topic at multilateral meetings. According to Reuters, leaders participating in the Summit for the Future on Sunday warned of growing mistrust between nations as climate-fueled disasters mount.

For a long time, the West has portrayed itself as a leader in addressing climate change while labeling developing countries as "laggards" in environmental protection. However, the West has made more empty promises than real commitments. Developed countries have yet to fulfill their obligations, either relating to emissions reductions or finance. The West is losing credibility with the Global South on climate issues, hindering global climate governance efforts.

At the same time, China is considered among the most serious and hardworking nations in the world when it comes to addressing climate change and achieving significant results. Even The New York Times, which is often biased and critical of China, presents a rare portrayal of China as a leader in global green transformation in an article titled "What Happens if China Stops Trying to Save the World?" 

The article states that "China has completely rewritten the global green transition story," dedicating significant space to highlighting the country's impressive achievements in the green technology race in recent years. It cites a recent estimate indicating that nearly two-thirds of all big solar and wind plants being built globally this year are in China, which is deploying green energy at more than eight times the scale of any other country in the world, with the G7 combined only accounting for a quarter of China's total.

In recent years, China has made remarkable achievements in developing clean energy and promoting green transformation, significantly contributing to global ecological civilization. This demonstrates that China is an "action-oriented" country in advancing global green development rather than merely engaging in rhetoric. In contrast, the US, the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has a performance that is inconsistent with its status as a superpower. It's also the only country that once withdrew from the Paris Agreement, and climate issues have become highly politicized rather than purely scientific in nature.

What is even more concerning is that the US has not reflected on its shortcomings; instead, it views China's rise in the green energy sector as a threat and has implemented a series of protectionist measures aimed at stifling the development of related industries in China. Ignoring strong domestic and international opposition, the US government announced on September 13 its final decision to impose a 100 percent tariff on Chinese electric vehicles, a 50 percent on solar cells, and a 25 percent tariff on EV batteries and key minerals.

Lü Xiang, an expert on US studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that the US is exhibiting a hypocritical and contradictory mind-set. On the one hand, it vocally champions the fight against climate change, while on the other, it seeks to limit the development of China's green production capacity and protect its own outdated industries. The US and its allies, under the guise of opposing "Chinese subsidies" and "overcapacity," are aggressively suppressing China in the field of green products, which will only delay global climate governance and hinder the progress of the global green low-carbon transition.

In the face of increasingly severe global climate issues, it is difficult for one country alone, such as China, to reverse the situation; the West must change both its mind-set and actions. The West should reflect on its hypocrisy and double standards regarding environmental issues, stop backpedaling on climate matters, and start contributing to a green future for all humanity.