Spotlight: China to play active role in climate change, enhance cooperation with related parties

China will continue to play an active role in climate change with much stronger actions, while enhancing cooperation with related parties.

The 22nd Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP22) is being held in the Moroccan city of Marrakech.

Participants in the meeting are expected to identify ways for a potential future coalition and adopt a declaration on health, environment and climate change.

MUCH STRONGER ACTIONS

China has set up an ambitious target to reach the peaking of CO2 emissions around 2030, Xie Ji, a deputy chief of the Chinese delegation, said Thursday.

"Many cities promised they can reach their peaking before 2030, and a few cities try to achieve the target around 2020," said Xie, adding that many industries, especially energy-intensive ones, were asked to control CO2 emissions and try to reach the peaking around 2020.

Gou Haibo, another deputy chief of the Chinese delegation, said Wednesday that China would continue to uphold a development concept highlighting innovation, coordination, greenness, openness and sharing.

He said that China would act positively and forcefully in maintaining the international mechanism, promoting international cooperation and combating climate change.

CHINA-U.S. COOPERATION CONTINUES

China's policies will not be affected by any external changes, Chen Zhihua, a member of the Chinese delegation, said Friday.

"No matter what happens in the new U.S. government, China will continue to constructively participate in the international climate change process," Chen said.

Chen was referring to concerns that the United States will withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate change after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who vowed to cancel the agreement during his campaign, takes office in January.

"We still need to wait," Chen said, adding that now is not the right time to assess it.

Even if the United States withdraws from the agreement, cooperation between China and the U.S. will continue, Chen said. "This is the attitude we hold toward the matter."

Catherine Novelli, U.S. undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment, said the United States and China have an "incredible working relationship" on climate issues.

"And I think it would portend well for leadership for the future," Novelli said. "I think everybody acknowledges that the momentum for Paris was generated by the agreement between the U.S. and China."

Novelli also said her country would continue the existing cooperation with China after Trump takes office in January.

COOPERATION WITH ALL PARTIES

The World Bank would continue to be a strong partner of China, with the country's commitment and leadership on climate changes issues, Laura Tuck, vice president for sustainable development of the World Bank, said Friday.

In an interview with Xinhua, Tuck hailed China's effort on climate issues, praising its impressive National Determined Contributions targets for 2030, which will take a variety of measures to achieve, among them the planned Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).

Tuck said the ETS China will be worth 50 billion U.S. dollars, the largest in the global range.

"The scale of the ETS China would be an inspiration for the countries and it has the potential to change investment and consumption decisions made by individuals and that can lead to a much lower-carbon economy," said Tuck, adding that it could be a model.

Meanwhile, members of the European Parliament on Friday urged the European Union and China to join forces at COP22.

"In Paris, China and the EU played a key role of honest brokers among different 'camps' during negotiations. That contributed to the final conclusion of the ground-breaking agreement," said Jo Leinen, chair of the European Parliament's delegation for relations with China.

The historic Paris Agreement, adopted in December 2015, has been ratified by 96 countries and the EU, and entered info force on Nov. 4.

Under the agreement, nations have agreed to combat climate change and to unleash actions and investment toward a low-carbon, resilient and sustainable future.

"In Marrakech, we will have to work on the implementation of the Paris Agreement. We shall also work to consolidate the trust between developed and developing countries," said Giovanni La Via, chair of the European Parliament's delegation to COP22.

"China is expected to line up with the EU. These two global powers should assume their responsibility by forming a new coalition with the aim of fighting for a progressive global climate policy," Leinen said. Endi