The Chinese central government on Friday approved a plan that maps out major climate change goals to be accomplished by 2020.

The State Council green-lighted the plan, which was proposed by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

China has pledged to reduce its carbon emission intensity, namely emission for per unit of GDP, by 40 percent to 45 percent by 2020 from the 2005 level, the plan said. It also aims to bring the proportion of non-fossil fuels to about 15 percent of its total primary energy consumption.

By the end of 2013, the amount had been slashed by 28.56 percent, equivalent to a reduction of 2.5 billion tons in carbon dioxide emissions, Xie Zhenhua, deputy chief of the NDRC, said, adding that the country has the determination and confidence to achieve its targets before 2020. But due to China's sharply rising GDP, its total emissions have increased significantly even as its emissions per capita diminished.

Other targets include increasing forest coverage by 40 million hectares by 2020.

The government will also speed up efforts to establish a carbon emission permit market, according to the plan.

The plan also called on deepened international exchanges and cooperation.

The State Council said that local governments should recognize the significance and urgency in dealing with climate change and give higher priority to climate change action.