Xinhua News Agency, Kunming, October 16thThe first phase of the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity was held in Kunming from October 11th to 15th. During the meeting, the “Kunming Declaration” was issued, calling on all parties to take action to jointly build a community of life on earth. Biodiversity is the foundation of human survival and development. Protecting biodiversity helps maintain the earth’s homeland and promote the sustainable development of mankind.
China and Russia are the largest countries in terms of population and land area, respectively. The two countries are both parties to international conventions such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Paris Agreement. They actively cooperate in biodiversity conservation, global climate change governance, and green transformation, and are committed to the full implementation of the United Nations 2030 sustainable development Agenda, balanced and coordinated promotion of fair, inclusive, open, comprehensive, innovative and sustainable development in the three major areas of economy, society and environment.
Fruitful achievements in ecological and environmental protection cooperation
China and Russia share a common border of more than 4,300 kilometers and are each other’s largest neighbors. Cooperation in the field of ecological environment is an important part of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Russia in the new era.
Since the establishment of the Environmental Cooperation Sub-Committee of the China-Russia Prime Minister’s Regular Meeting Committee, the water quality of the cross-border water bodies of the two countries has remained stable for many years, the emergency contact mechanism for environmental emergencies has been smooth and effective, and the ecological environment in the border areas has been improving day by day. The two countries promote regional cooperation under the multilateral framework to lay a solid foundation for maintaining regional ecological balance and sustainable development.
In recent years, China and Russia have continued to deepen cooperation in the protection of rare and endangered wild animals and plants such as Siberian tigers and Amur leopards and migratory birds, strengthen cooperation in nature reserves, especially the cooperation in the Northeast tiger and leopard cross-border nature reserves, and jointly carry out patrols and northeast China. Monitoring tigers and leopards and jointly carrying out the construction of ecological corridors to ensure the free migration of Northeast tigers and leopards along the Sino-Russian border. In order to enhance the friendship between the two peoples, China provides Russia with a pair of giant pandas, and the two sides carry out cooperation and joint research in the protection and breeding of giant pandas. The protection of endangered species and biodiversity in the two countries has continued to improve.
Guo Xiaoqiong, a researcher at the Institute of Russian, Eastern Europe and Central Asia of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, believes that over the years, thanks to the joint efforts of China and Russia, the two countries have achieved fruitful results in cooperation in the field of ecological and environmental protection. Strengthening cooperation in this field is of positive significance to the economic and social development of the two countries.
Energy transition towards “dual carbon” goal
China has announced that it will strive to achieve carbon peaks by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060, and will continue to promote the adjustment of industrial structure and energy structure.
Energy cooperation has always been the field with the heaviest weight, the most results, and the widest scope in the practical cooperation between China and Russia, and nuclear energy is its strategic priority for cooperation. In May 2021, Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant Units 7 and 8 in Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province and Xu Dabao Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4 in Huludao City, Liaoning Province officially started. This is the largest nuclear energy cooperation project between China and Russia to date.
Industry insiders pointed out that nuclear energy is clean and efficient and will provide strong support for China to achieve its carbon peak and carbon neutral goals.
Data shows that after the completion of the four units and put into operation, the annual power generation will reach 37.6 billion kilowatt-hours, which is equivalent to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 30.68 million tons per year.
Experts said that the strengthening of nuclear energy cooperation between China and Russia demonstrates the consistency of their positions on the issue of global climate change, which has injected new impetus, new confidence and new hope into the response to global climate change. The two parties’ joint pursuit of green energy development fully demonstrates the strong responsibility of a responsible major country. Joint efforts to promote the global green and low-carbon transformation, Sino-Russian nuclear energy cooperation has broad prospects.
Technological innovation boosts green development
Green development is a long-term strategy for the development of the world economy. Adhering to green and low-carbon, promoting the harmonious coexistence of man and nature, has become the only way for the sustainable development of the world economy.
Innovation is a key driving force for medium and long-term economic growth and global sustainable development. 2020 and 2021 are the China-Russia science and technology innovation years. This is the first time that the two countries have held a national year with the theme of “Science and Technology Innovation”, and launched the longest list of cooperation between the two countries’ national theme years. Technological innovation has become one of the most promising areas of cooperation between China and Russia.
At present, cooperation between China and Russia in the fields of digital economy, green economy, artificial intelligence, 5G, and big data is in the ascendant, providing continuous impetus for the two countries to achieve green development.
In the first eight months of 2021, Sino-Russian bilateral trade in goods was 88.5 billion U.S. dollars, a year-on-year increase of 29%, and is expected to hit a record high throughout the year. Taking the Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation as an opportunity, in-depth exploration of the advantages of cooperation between the two sides in related fields and creating more advantages “light assets” will help China and Russia move towards the goal of reaching 200 billion U.S. dollars in annual trade set by the two heads of state.
Guo Xiaoqiong pointed out that while China put forward the “dual carbon” goal, Russia is also committed to taking green development as an opportunity to make breakthroughs in technological modernization, transform the economic structure, and improve the country’s competitiveness in the post-epidemic era. Sino-Russian cooperation is conducive to promoting low-carbon economic development in the two countries. The two countries should promote more low-carbon cooperation projects and play a constructive role in achieving global sustainable development goals.
“As world powers, China and Russia are also important energy consuming countries and energy exporting countries respectively. In the current normal development of the new crown epidemic and the complex changes in the international situation, the two countries are facing issues such as biodiversity conservation and climate change. Strengthen cooperation in the United Nations, and actively coordinate positions under the framework of multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the BRICS. This will contribute to the construction of a clean and beautiful world, and play an important role in promoting the establishment of a fair, reasonable, cooperative and win-win global environmental governance system. Role.” Guo Xiaoqiong said. (Xinhua News Agency reporters Zheng Dongrui and Fang Junwei)
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