China’s commitment to climate change is a major reason the UN climate summit in Paris is likely to succeed.

That’s according to a report by not-for-profit environmental analyst firms chinadialogue and Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit.

It claims one of the main differences between the failed Copenhagen summit of 2009 and the Paris talks is the “rapid acceleration of China’s progress towards a low carbon economy”.

It adds China’s increased engagement with the UN process stems from “a drive to address serious environmental impacts in its own country.

China aims to cut its carbon emissions by 60% to 65% by 2030 from 2005 levels.

Sam Geall of Sussex University and Executive Editor at chinadialogue said: “For China, climate change is both an existential risk and a major opportunity.

“It intends to be both leading the pack in investment in renewable energy and low carbon technologies and also to be the supplier to the world of those same technologies.”

China has pledged to cut 60% of emissions produced in the power sector by 2020.

Technology giant Apple recently launched two clean energy programmes in the country to reduce its carbon footprint.