China calls for ‘more results’ in climate crisis cooperation with EU
Beijing, Sep 28 (EFE).- Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng and Frans Timmermans, executive vice-president of the European Commission for the European Green Deal, agreed in a virtual meeting late Monday to “deepen” cooperation to combat climate change.
At the second High-level Environment and Climate Dialogue between China and the European Union, Han said that the two parties must “implement” the consensus reached by leaders of both sides and “contribute to global sustainable development,” the ruling Communist Party of China news network reported on its website.
Han stressed the need to “enhance understanding and mutual trust, strengthen policy communication and coordination, deepen practical cooperation on major areas and strive to achieve more results.”
He also urged both sides to “practice multilateralism, help implement the Paris Agreement and inject confidence into global climate cooperation.”
“China stands ready to strengthen coordination with other parties, bridge differences, promote consensus and facilitate positive results of the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change,” Han said, recalling China’s recent announcement that it will not build new coal-fired power projects abroad.
Timmermans expressed the European Union’s appreciation for China’s efforts to tackle climate change and said it was willing “to strengthen dialogue and coordination with China on environment and climate, make joint contributions to the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow and support China in hosting the COP15 (the UN Convention on Biological Diversity)” that will take place in the southern Chinese city of Kunming next month.
In its first drafts, the Convention set as an objective, the preservation of at least 30 percent of the planet’s surface through effective measures and a 50 percent reduction in the rate of introduction of invasive species.
It also set a 2030 target to halve nutrient loss in the environment, reduce the use of pesticides by at least two-thirds and eliminate plastic waste emissions.
Monday night’s meeting was held a day before the the 11th China-EU High Level Strategic Dialogue between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell. EFE
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