China on Wednesday issued its first ever absolute targets for cutting planet-warming gases, a landmark pledge from the world's top polluter as the United States doubles down on fossil fuels and Europe falters.

The announcement was delivered via video by President Xi Jinping to a UN climate summit where some 120 nations will outline plans to curb global warming, which is intensifying disasters worldwide from floods in Pakistan to raging wildfires in Spain.

Under the new plan, China will reduce economy-wide emissions by 7–10 percent by 2035 relative to the year of the country's peak emissions, believed to be 2025.

Observers said that while the absolute figure may seem modest, China has a record of under-promising while over-delivering, driven by its green technology boom.

It comes as the

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