While the U.S. is the world’s largest cumulative carbon emitter, China is quickly catching up as the largest annual emitter. Last year, when China submitted its updated climate goals under the Paris accords, experts were disappointed that it recycled previously announced targets — committing only to peak emissions “before 2030.” That target directly conflicts with the Paris Agreement ambition of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) over preindustrial levels. Meeting that goal would require the world to cut its emissions in half from 2019 levels by 2030