President Joe Biden has committed the US to halving its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
The pledge came during a virtual global summit at the White House on Thursday that included Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other world leaders.
In his address at the start of the event, Mr Biden said: “The science is undeniable.
“The cost of inaction just keeps mounting… we have to step up.”
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The Daily Climate show looks at Biden’s targets
The pledge – which amounts to nearly doubling previous commitments – and the summit, represent a concerted US effort to reclaim credibility and leadership on climate change after four years of inaction under Donald Trump.
The target is based on 2005 levels of emissions.
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Mr Biden said: “Scientists tell us this is the decisive decade. This is the decade we must make decisions that will avoid the worst consequences of the climate crisis.”
But he warned that no nation can solve this crisis “on its own” and called for all countries to band together.
“If we do, we will breathe easier, literally and figuratively,” he said.
“This is a moral imperative and an economic imperative… but also a moment of extraordinary possibilities.”
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Boris Johnson told the summit it was ‘not all about some expensive, politically-correct green act of bunny hugging’
In his response, Mr Johnson described the US move as “game changing”.
He said nations needed to work together and be “constantly original and optimistic about new technology and new solutions”.
He added: “It is vital for all of us to show that this is not all about some expensive, politically-correct green act of bunny hugging.
“Let’s use this extraordinary moment and the incredible technology we are working on, to make this decade the moment of decisive change in the fight against climate change – and let’s do it together.”
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China has in the past been criticised for dragging its heels on climate ambition. Just last week US climate envoy John Kerry called on the country to “assume responsibility” for its part in global warming – and its President Xi Jinping was called on early to address the summit.
He said he was looking forward to working with the international community on climate change and that the Chinese people “have always value harmony between man and nature”.
And he made a pledge that his country would “strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060”.
He added: “Mother nature has nourished us and we must treat nature as our root – respect it, protect it.”
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Among US measures to be employed to reduce emissions by 50% to 52% are a “carbon border adjustment” – or carbon tariff – that would tax imports from countries that do not have similar emissions controls.
The White House will also target the biggest emitting sectors – including ensuring zero emissions from power plants by 2035, boosting energy efficiency in homes and businesses, incentives for electric vehicle use and expanding “carbon sinks” like forests and agriculture.
However, US Republicans say the target could damage the economy, with job cuts expected to come from areas such as power plants and the automotive industry, and they could oppose moves to lower the country’s dependence on gas, oil and coal.
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Sector-specific goals will be revealed later in the year, but the administration has already moved to introduce a $2trn (£1.4trn) infrastructure plan, that could help Mr Biden deliver the emissions cuts he needs, including a clean energy standard.
The UK has already announced it will cut its own emissions by 78% by 2035.
It is set to host COP26 climate talks in Glasgow later in the year.
The world’s nations are all under pressure to pledge more action on climate change, to ensure global warming does not go beyond the 1.5C goal of the Paris climate Agreement.
Analysis: Earth Day summit was Joe Biden’s show – but China unwilling to increase its ambitions
By Hannah Thomas-Peter, climate change correspondent
There may have been 40 world leaders virtually present at President Joe Biden’s Earth Day summit but this was unmistakably his show.
The US pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 52% by 2030, a doubling of the previous target, was a very clear attempt to reclaim both credibility and leadership on climate change after four years of Donald Trump.
At first glance he has done what he set out to do – make a big splash on the global stage as many of the world’s largest economies and polluters, like the UK, the EU, Japan, South Korea and Canada back him up.
This is a promising kick start to a crucial year of global climate diplomacy culminating in November at the UN climate summit in Glasgow known as COP26.
But the course of achieving international consensus under extreme pressure never did run smooth.
Read Hannah’s full analysis here
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The show will also highlight solutions to the crisis and show how small changes can make a big difference.
