Original title: Some people questioned China’s ambitions in tackling climate change. The spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs made a knowledge dissemination session at the press conference.
[环球时报-环球网 报道 记者 邢晓婧]On November 1, foreign media asked at a regular press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that some critics believed that China was “not ambitious enough” in tackling climate change. Will China announce how to achieve its emission reduction targets at the upcoming COP26? The specific rules?
In response, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wang Wenbin said that I have just introduced that President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the G20 summit in Rome. He also took care of the earth, promoted the building of a community of human and natural life, and put forward China’s propositions. And initiatives. These important propositions of President Xi Jinping also pointed out the key to the success of the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and strongly promoted the joint efforts of the international community to tackle climate change. Then, I would also like to take this opportunity to introduce to you China’s strong measures and actual contributions to the issue of climate change.
Wang Wenbin said that China has always been an activist in climate governance, taking the initiative to assume international responsibilities in line with national conditions, and constantly self-pressurizing itself to increase the intensity of actions to address climate change. Since September last year, President Xi Jinping has successively announced the goal and vision of China’s carbon peak and carbon neutrality, and proposed a series of national independent contribution targets and specific policy measures, involving domestic coal consumption and no new overseas coal power projects. It demonstrates China’s firm determination to tackle climate change. Recently, the Chinese side has also issued opinions on the complete, accurate and comprehensive implementation of the new development concept and a good job of carbon peak and carbon neutrality.
Before 2030, the carbon peaking action plan and the white paper on China’s policies and actions in response to climate change will be formally submitted to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change for China’s implementation of its nationally determined contributions and new goals and measures, as well as China’s long-term greenhouse in the middle of this century. The development strategy of low gas emission, these are the concrete measures of China to fulfill the Paris Agreement, which reflects China’s responsibility and latest contribution to the global response to climate change.
Is there much contribution to China on this issue? Wang Wenbin said that a set of figures can be used as a comparison: developed countries, from carbon peaking to carbon neutrality, the EU will use 71 years, the United States will use 43 years, and Japan will use 37 years, while China has set itself only 30 years. The European Union, the United States, and Japan spent 2.4 times, 1.4 times, and 1.2 times that of China, respectively.
Wang Wenbin said that as the world’s largest developing country, China will complete the world’s highest reduction in carbon emission intensity and use the shortest time in global history to achieve the transition from carbon peak to carbon neutrality. This requires China to make arduous efforts and fully demonstrate it. China’s responsibility as a major country on this issue.
Wang Wenbin said, I also want to point out that scientific research shows that global warming is the result of cumulative emissions of greenhouse gases. In the process of industrialization in the past 200 years, developed countries have always discharged greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and have been responsible for global climate change. For example, the historical cumulative emissions per capita of the United States are 8 times that of China. Historically, the United States has refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol and withdraw from the Paris Agreement, which has seriously undermined the confidence and effectiveness of global cooperation in addressing climate change.
Wang Wenbin emphasized that the current climate change poses severe challenges to human survival and development, and all countries need to work together to deal with it. Developed countries, including the United States, should earnestly follow the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, face up to their historical responsibilities, show greater ambitions and actions, and take the lead in assuming the obligation to substantially reduce emissions. At the same time, in terms of capital and technical capacity building, it will effectively help developing countries improve their ability to respond to the challenges of climate change.
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