Nation would rather focus on current climate goals than making new ones at COP26: member of Chinese delegation
Less than one week before the world leaders gather at the COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow, which is seen as a crucial event to discuss ways to curtail climate change, China issued a white paper on Wednesday to share with the world its dedication and experience in tackling global warming. It’s an injection of strong impetus into the global effort of solving the challenge, analysts said.
Climate observers predicted this summit will witness the most severe conflicts as countries struggle to reach a consensus on climate goals. Yet they pointed out that Western countries, especially the US, should be blamed for “big words little action,” and the all-for-themselves attitude on the climate issue. The experts suggest that the best way to bear fruits of the COP26 summit is for the Western countries to cast aside their political prejudices, open arms for sincere cooperation and fulfill their promises.
The latest white paper, entitled Responding to Climate Change: China’s Policies and Actions, issued by China State Council Information Office on Wednesday, used four chapters to describe China’s ambitious goals in dealing with global warming, aiming to “enhance the understanding” of the international community about China’s development, as well as its experience in tackling global warming.
President Xi Jinping has announced that China will aim to achieve peak emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. The white paper said that it is not easy for China to realize those goals. China plans to jump from hitting peak emission to carbon neutrality in merely 30 years, which means China will complete the world’s highest reduction in carbon emission intensity, and achieve the goal of achieving carbon neutrality from carbon peak in the shortest time in global history, read the white paper.
In the latest move, the State Council ̶ China’s cabinet ̶ issued a document on Monday saying China will take a host of 10 measures, ranging from shifting to low-carbon energy to adopting green transportation methods, to achieve its carbon emission peak goal. The document reiterates that China will achieve the target of peak carbon emissions by 2030, with a number of specific objectives such as reaching 25 percent of non-fossil energy consumption by 2030.
Before the COP26 summit, Chinese leaders have actively engaged in discussing climate issues with some leaders of European countries and the US. The latest one being Xi’s phone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday, in which Macron expressed his hope in enhancing coordination with China on the COP26 summit.
Experts opined that there is abundant potential in the arena of climate change for China and Europe, as well as China and the US, to join hands.
For example, “in energy and economy transition, given the complementary relationship China and EU have in technology and capacity in clean energy and green economy, China and EU share common goal and have broad space for cooperation. In industries such as photovoltaics, China has built a leading global production capacity. In terms of new technologies, new ideas, and policy measures, EU has achieved unique advantages,” Cui Hongjian, director of the Department of European Studies, China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Wednesday.
“At COP26 we must finalize the outstanding technical elements of the Paris Agreement, such as finding solutions on carbon markets and transparent reporting. We are accelerating collaboration between governments, business and civil society to deliver on our climate goals faster,” UK Ambassador to China Caroline Wilson told the Global Times on October 13 in a written interview.
Graphics: GT
She pointed out that the UK is looking forward to working with China even more closely on the impacts of forest-related commodities. The UK also hope to continue constructive collaboration between producer and consumer countries to tackle deforestation and biodiversity loss.
Analysts also noted that if China and the US, the world’s biggest emitter, can cooperate closely on tackling global warming, it will help motivate and unite other countries to work more closely on this issue.
Yet Li Shuo, senior climate & energy policy officer for Greenpeace East Asia, said that the US will rise up many requests during COP26, since it marks its comeback after withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement. As a consequence, it will cause major divergence and disturbance on the summit, thus it is significant for the participating countries to manage those divergences.
“Those divergences clearly won’t do any good to multilateral climate agreement. Countries should not been blindfolded by geopolitics,” Li noted.
With the COP26 summit approaching, many Western media and politicians are putting pressure on China to raise more “ambitious” goals during the meeting.
Instead of dazzling attendants with new “targets,” China would rather focus on how to realize current goals, a member of the Chinese delegation to the COP26, who requested anonymity, told the Global Times.
The anonymous member said that the whole world is tired of empty promises made on the climate issue and urged countries, especially Western countries, to meet their funding goals first before pointing fingers at other countries.
West’s failed obligation
Li predicted the COP26, which kicks off on October 31 and lasts two weeks, will witness many fierce debates.
One of the debate marks financing climate change. Many rich countries have failed their obligation in aiding poor countries. A report released by the UK said that wealthy governments won’t fulfill a pledge to provide $100 billion a year to help developing countries fight climate change until at least 2023.
The pledge, a key part of the 2015 Paris climate accord, had helped persuade developing countries to sign the deal and commit to limiting their own emissions.
China has also helped build a fair, reasonable, and win-win global climate governance system, according to the white paper, saying it showcases China’s image as a responsible country.
Apart from actively engaging in global climate negotiation, and safeguarding fruits of international treaties on global warming, China has expanded cooperation with other developing countries on this issue.
According to the white paper, China has allocated 1.2 billion yuan for South-South cooperation and signed 40 cooperation documents with 35 countries. It has also helped countries to build low-carbon demonstration zones and provided them with climate-related supplies.
When addressing the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly via video in September, Xi also pledged that China will not build new coal-fired power projects abroad.
Li Junfeng, former director general of China’s National Center of Climate Change Strategy Research under the National Development and Reform Commission, told the Global Times that the promise to stop building coal projects overseas will encourage other developing countries which are cooperating with China to turn to clean energy and to contribute to the global fight against climate change.
