The 7th Climate Action Ministerial Conference, co hosted by China, the European Union, and Canada, and hosted by the European Union, was held in Brussels, Belgium from July 13th to 14th local time. Huang Runqiu, Minister of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, as the co chairman of the meeting, delivered a speech and participated in the topic discussion.
The report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China regards “promoting the harmonious coexistence of man and nature” as the essential requirement of Chinese path to modernization, which further demonstrates China’s firm determination and distinctive attitude towards green development.
Huang Runqiu pointed out that China must keep its word and act decisively. The carbon emission intensity in China in 2021 has decreased by a cumulative 50.8% compared to 2005. At the end of 2022, the installed capacity of renewable energy has historically surpassed the scale of coal-fired power, becoming the main body of new installed capacity in China’s electricity industry. The development of renewable energy in China has greatly reduced the cost of renewable energy utilization and made significant contributions to global carbon reduction. We will significantly promote the green transformation of the industrial structure, promote green and low-carbon development in urban and rural construction and transportation, launch the online trading of carbon Emissions trading market, which covers the largest scale of greenhouse gases in the world, continue to deepen the work of adaptation to climate change, and release the National Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change 2035. Against the backdrop of the continuous reduction of global forest resources, China has contributed a quarter of the newly added green area to the world.
Huang Runqiu said that the impact of climate change is becoming increasingly serious, and the urgency of strengthening climate action is growing. All parties should rebuild political mutual trust, return to the right track of cooperation, resolutely uphold rules, earnestly implement commitments, adhere to the best of their abilities, and strengthen international cooperation. All parties should always maintain the status of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (hereinafter referred to as the “Convention”) as the main channel in global climate governance, adhere to the principle of fairness, common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, implement the objectives of the Paris Agreement in a comprehensive and balanced manner, and send a strong political signal to the international community to firmly uphold multilateralism and abide by multilateral rules. The spirit of cooperation is the golden key to bridging differences among all parties and promoting the achievement of multilateral processes. The good momentum of global green and low-carbon transformation is not easy to come by. All parties must resolutely remove the artificial interference and destruction of geopolitical factors on international cooperation on climate change, deeply reflect on the huge risks brought by “decoupling, chain breaking, and risk reduction” to global response to climate change, and firmly follow the path of collective cooperation and mutually beneficial cooperation.
Huang Runqiu said that he expected the 28th Conference of the Parties to the Convention (COP28) to continue and deepen the theme of “joint implementation”, take the global inventory as an opportunity to send a positive signal to the international community focusing on action and cooperation, and create a good atmosphere of cohesion, solidarity and collaboration for the implementation of the Convention and its Paris Agreement. China is willing to work with all parties to promote the success of COP28 and build a fair, reasonable, and win-win global climate governance system based on the principles of openness, transparency, broad participation, contracting party driven, and consensus through consultation.
During the meeting, Huang Runqiu held talks with Timothy Manns, Executive Vice President of the European Commission, Gilbert, Minister of Environment and Climate Change of Canada, and Sultan, President designate of COP28.
The Ministerial Conference on Climate Action was jointly initiated by China, the European Union, and Canada in 2017. This session focused on the key issues of climate negotiations such as global inventory, mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage, and finance. Ministerial representatives from more than 30 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, South Korea, Singapore, Egypt, Brazil, India, Ethiopia, Senegal, etc., Executive Secretary Steele of the Convention Secretariat, Special Adviser to the Secretary General of the United Nations on Climate Action and Fair Transformation Hart, and the International Energy Agency Senior representatives from the International Renewable Energy Agency attended the meeting. Representatives from relevant departments and bureaus of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs attended the meeting. The 8th Ministerial Conference on Climate Action will be held in China in 2024.
Source: Ministry of Ecology and Environment
Post time: Jul-18-2023