The UN COP28 was concluded in Dubai last week. This conference, with nearly 100,000 attendees, has been the largest world-class climate conference to date. A high-level Chinese delegation attended the summit and fully participated in consultations on all topics and coordinated closely with the UAE, the chair of COP28, and other parties to firmly uphold the common interest of developing countries. China also provided solutions for negotiations on key issues, engaged parties to seek common ground while resolving differences and made important contribution to shaping positive outcomes.
China is an active advocate and a firm actor in addressing climate change. China has actively facilitated the achievement, signing, enactment, and implementation of the Paris Agreement, made solemn commitments to peak carbon dioxide and achieve carbon neutrality, initiated and stably operated the world’s largest Carbon Market, becoming a leading force and a key player in global climate action. In 2022, the proportion of coal consumption in China’s total energy consumption decreased by 12.2 percentage points compared to 2012, and the share of clean energy consumption increased to 25.9%. From 2013 to 2022, clean energy accounted for 60.5% of the incremental energy consumption in China, a 41.4% increase compared to 2003 to 2012, making clean energy the main driver of China’s energy consumption growth. Currently, China has over-shot the climate action targets of 2020 ahead of schedule, will make the steepest cuts in the world to the intensity of our carbon emissions, and will complete the process from carbon emissions peaking to carbon neutrality in the shortest span of time. China’s hydropower, photovoltaic, and wind power installed capacities all rank first globally, establishing China as a world leader in the development of clean energy. China not only promotes green transformation and development through concrete actions but also adheres to the concept of a community of shared future for humanity, actively participates in global governance to address climate change in a comprehensive and multi-faceted manner. China collaborates with countries worldwide to build a global climate governance system that is fair, reasonable, cooperative and win-win .
China has actively carried out climate diplomacy by its leaders to enhance the cohesion of global climate governance. For the past two years, President Xi Jinping has emphasized unity and cooperation to respond to climate change and promoted the implementation of Global Development Initiatives at more than 60 important meetings and events. President Xi Jinping also held meetings with political dignitaries from many countries and multilateral institutions, and reached important consensus on climate change and deepening green partnerships, emphasizing the practice of true multilateralism and working together to address global challenges such as climate change. China has been fully and deeply participating in main channels of international negotiations like the Convention and its Paris Agreement, contributing Chinese wisdom to these efforts. This year, China completed the Fourth National Communication on Climate Change of the People’s Republic of China and the Third Biennial Update Report on Climate Change, presenting the “China story” in addressing climate change to the international community. China has been also actively participating in negotiations outside the Convention, and jointly promoting the multilateral climate process. Chinese scientists have been elected as co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group I for five consecutive terms and are currently preparing to campaign for the seventh IPCC presidency. In various channels, including the World Trade Organization (WTO) framework and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), China organizes dialogues and negotiations on climate change, promoting discussions on trade-related environmental measures such as the EU’s carbon border adjustment mechanism. China aims to guide all parties to bridge differences and move towards common goals.
China has been actively promoting South-South cooperation in addressing climate change, providing practical assistance to developing countries in advancing green and low-carbon development. As of today, China has signed 48 memoranda of understanding for South-South cooperation on climate change with 40 developing countries. This includes the establishment of four low-carbon demonstration zones and the implementation of 75 climate change mitigation and adaptation projects. Since 2022, China has undertaken 54 aid projects in the climate field, including climate disaster response and land-use improvement. Additionally, China has organized 57 training sessions on the South-South cooperation on climate change, training about 2,400 officials and technicians in the field of climate change from more than 120 developing countries. These efforts have received unanimous praise from various parties. The journey to address global climate change requires the joint efforts of China and Pakistan. The two countries have achieved remarkable success in the field of clean energy cooperation. Various energy projects, such as Karot Hydropower Project, Dawood Wind Power Project, Bahawalpur Photovoltaic Power Station, and K2K3 nuclear power units have enriched Pakistan’s energy structure. The provision of household photovoltaic power systems by China to Pakistan has greatly improved local residents’ access to electricity.
In the face of the challenges posed by climate change, the fate of humanity is interconnected. The efforts we have made are not only for ourselves but also for the shared well-being of all humankind in the future. China will continue to demonstrate leadership and responsibility in international cooperation to address climate change. It aims to inject new momentum into the construction of a global governance system and, together with all countries, including Pakistan, work hand in hand to build a clean and beautiful world.