SCIO briefing on China’s Policies and Actions for Addressing Climate Change (2016)

NHK from Japan:

There are still many countries, including Japan, that have not ratified the Paris Agreement. What's your opinion on the situation? My second question: the Paris Agreement stipulates that each country needs to submit a long-term low-carbon emission development strategy within years. When will China submit it?

Xie Zhenhua:

The Paris Agreement will take effect soon and still has not been ratified by some countries. The negotiation about its implementation afterwards needs to be inclusive. This year we'll have the first COP after the Paris Agreement takes effect; afterwards, we'll cease temporarily and wait for more countries to ratify the agreement, and then let's carry on the COP. Why? Some of the countries have not ratified the agreement and we need more countries to get involved, as our multilateral process of tackling climate change should be inclusive. It's our common desire.

Some countries like Japan have not ratified the agreement. However, during the preliminary session, the minister from Japan said that it would be ratified within this year. Other main carbon emission countries all noted that they would ratify it during the Marrakech Conference or by the end of this year. Anyway, each country follows its own legal rules and procedures to ratify an international convention. Be it later or sooner, it needs some time. However, so far, no country has said they would not ratify it. We anticipate Japan will approve it soon.

As for your second question, China has now completed the related work of proposing a low-carbon development strategy for the years leading up to 2050. We will communicate with experts and think tanks from major countries to get more suggestions and make amendments. We have set the targets by the years of 2030 and 2050 and more policy measures are needed to realize them. I insist that China will soon announce the low-carbon development strategy for the years leading up to 2050. Thank you.