EU not doing itself any favors by trying to play the 'climate card'

According to a widely quoted Financial Times report, the European Union is holding back on signing a joint declaration with China on climate action this month, unless China pledges greater efforts to cut its greenhouse gas emissions.

The report came at almost the same time Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi concluded his visit to the EU Headquarters last week. That suggests that the EU's stalling on the climate deal might not be because of its alleged dissatisfaction with China's emissions reduction achievements but rather because of other factors.

China's realized emissions reduction and its reduction ambition are both impressive. Over the past decade, the share of nonfossil fuels in China's total energy consumption has risen to 17.9 percent and the carbon intensity has declined by over 34 percent.