China’s Response to Climate Change

Chinese Ambassador to Peru

Planet Earth is humanity’s only home. In recent years, climate change, loss of biodiversity, and extreme weather events have created serious challenges for human survival and development. Faced with the threat of climate change, humanity is a community of common destiny and no country can remain alone without being affected. Cooperation is the only opportunity for the international community to follow the right path towards the future.

On November 1, 2021, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a written message to the World Leaders Summit of the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and made 3 suggestions for tackling climate change and promoting global economic recovery. First of all, it must maintain multilateral consensus, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement they constitute the fundamental legal bases for the cooperation of the international community in response to climate change. Countries must strengthen mutual trust and cooperation based on existing consensus. Second, they should focus on practical actions. The countries must fulfill their commitments, set objectives and practical visions, and do their utmost to promote the implementation of their measures to confront climate change in accordance with national conditions. Developed countries should not only make more efforts themselves, but also support other developing countries to respond better. Third, it must speed up the green transition. Through scientific and technological innovation, the transformation and optimization of energy resources, industrial structure and consumption patterns must be promoted, as well as promoting green socio-economic development and exploring a new path in which development and environmental protection go hand in hand.

Adhering to the concept of a community of life between humans and nature, China has always been actively involved in global climate governance, and has made important contributions. In September 2020, China solemnly pledged to peak CO2 emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. As the world’s largest developing country, China faces tough tasks such as economic development, improvement of the quality of life of the Chinese people, pollution control, environmental protection, among others. Despite this, China has faced the difficulties, striving to achieve the largest reduction in the intensity of CO2 emissions in the world, and to go from peak CO2 emissions to carbon neutrality in the shortest time in world history, which shows its absolute commitment as a great responsible country with the reduction of the carbon footprint.

China keeps its word. In recent years, China has adopted a series of new measures to combat change climate, contributing significantly to global climate governance through its own practice. Thanks to China’s great effort, its CO2 emissions per unit of GDP fell by 48.4% in 2020 compared to 2005. In 2020, the share of non-fossil fuels in China’s energy consumption increased to 15.9%, its dependence on coal consumption has been markedly reduced, and the improvement of China’s energy structure has had fruitful results. Recently, China issued the “Working guide for the peak of carbon dioxide and carbon neutrality in the complete and faithful implementation of the new Development philosophy” and the “Action plan to reach the peak of carbon dioxide emissions before 2030”. And soon China will successively launch action plans in key sectors such as energy, industry, construction and transportation; as well as in important industries such as carbon, electrical energy, steel, cement, among others. In addition, China has developed support measures in terms of science and technology, carbon sink, fiscal, tax and financial incentives, etc., establishing a “1 + N” policy framework to achieve peak CO2 emissions and carbon neutrality and setting its schedule, its roadmap and its work plan. China has injected confidence and strength into promoting global climate governance with practical actions.

The road is long and difficult, but not impossible as long as we make efforts. All countries must act together to combat climate change. China hopes that all countries will step up their actions, join forces to meet the challenge of climate change, and work together to protect planet Earth that is home to all of humanity.