Illustration: Liu Xiangya/GT

The achievements China has made in green transformation and addressing climate change are widely recognized around the world. However, some Western media outlets have chosen to deliberately turn a blind eye, persistently smearing China's efforts with an extremely arrogant and narrow-minded attitude. This fully exposes the double standards of the West when it comes to environmental issues.

On Monday, Voice of America (VOA) published an article criticizing China's response to climate change, which blatantly ignored the facts and twisted the truth. The article criticized China for still maintaining its status as a "developing country," despite being the world's second-largest economy. It claimed unlike developed Western nations, China supposedly has "no obligation to provide financial assistance to developing countries." It even baselessly argued that "the West pays so China can pollute."

From VOA's perspective, the financial support provided by developed Western countries to assist developing countries with climate issues is not viewed as a responsibility stemming from the environmental damage caused during their industrialization and modernization. Instead, it is perceived as an additional burden. Scientific research has confirmed that the large quantities of greenhouse gases emitted by developed countries since the Industrial Revolution are the primary cause of climate change, while developing countries have borne the brunt of its impact. Yet, the actual performance of developed countries in climate financing has been little more than "much noise, little action." According to research by the London-based global think tank Overseas Development Institute, the US paid just $14 billion in climate finance in 2022, less than a third of its fair share of $45 billion. 

Developed Western countries not only fall short in fulfilling their commitments, but they also frequently condemn developing countries from a "moral high ground." Jia Weilie, a professor at the Institute for Sustainability of Huzhou University, told the Global Times that Western countries ignore the survival challenges faced by people in developing nations, linking their development issues to environmental protection, and denying their achievements in environmental protection.   

While arrogantly criticizing developing countries, developed nations are undermining global green cooperation for geopolitical purposes. Jia believes this represents a "green cold war" in the global response to climate change. In recent years, the mind-set of a "green cold war," contrary to the goals of climate neutrality, has gained traction in the West. For a long time to come, the "green cold war" will severely slow the pace of a just global green transition.

Today, some Western media outlets are attempting to shift the responsibility for climate change onto China. However, whether US media acknowledges it or not, China is universally recognized as the largest developing country. Over the past decade, China has not used its developing country status as an excuse to shirk international responsibility; instead, it has focused on addressing environmental problems, leaving a strong impression worldwide. In contrast, the US not only avoids its responsibilities and ignores its own shortcomings in environmental protection, but also smears and attacks China, thus exposing the US' blatant double standards.

China's stance on climate change is consistently clear, and it's committed to implementing the Paris Agreement, adhering to the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities." China has made significant progress in addressing climate issues and will continue to improve. If Western countries and their media persist in smearing China while shirking their own responsibilities, what position do these Western nations have to criticize China?