SHANGHAI- China will start to phase down coal consumption over the 2026-2030 period as part of its efforts to reduce climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions, President Xi Jinping told the Climate Leaders' Summit on Thursday.

China is aiming to bring its emissions to a peak before 2030 and to become carbon neutral by 2060.

China's energy regulator said earlier on Thursday that it would aim to reduce the share of coal in its total energy mix to less than 56% this year, but it remains one of the only major economies to approve new coal projects.

(Reporting by David Stanway Editing by Chizu Nomiyama) ((david.stanway@thomsonreuters.com; +86 21 2083 0066;))