China's Green Development in the New Era

VII. Building the Earth into a Beautiful Home

Green development and eco-environmental progress are the responsibility of all humanity. China has always been a major participant, contributor, and torchbearer in the global movement for building an eco-civilization. It firmly safeguards multilateralism, and is actively forging an international eco-environmental governance pattern in which countries align their interests and share their rights and responsibilities. This is how China does its part in pursuing the sustainable development of humanity.

1. Participating in global climate governance

Following the principles of equity, common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, China has acted in accordance with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, actively participated in global climate negotiations in a constructive manner, and made historic contributions to the conclusion and implementation of the Paris Agreement. In doing so, it helps to build a fair, rational, and mutually beneficial global climate governance system.

China has reinforced the effort to achieve its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). It will make the steepest cuts in the world to the intensity of its carbon emissions, and complete the process from carbon emissions peaking to carbon neutrality in the shortest span of time. This fully demonstrates its strong sense of responsibility as a major country.

China is also an active participant in South-South cooperation on climate change. Since 2016, working in other developing countries, it has launched 10 low-carbon demonstration zones, 100 projects for climate change mitigation and adaption, training sessions on climate change response for 1,000 people, and more than 200 foreign assistance programs on climate change.

International cooperation on climate change may encounter difficulties and setbacks, but China will remain committed to improving global climate governance and taking solid actions. As always, it will work with firm resolve towards the goals of carbon emissions peaking and carbon neutrality, actively participate in international cooperation on climate change, engage in international negotiations on climate change in a constructive manner, and do everything in its power to support and assist other developing countries in this realm. In doing so, China will continue to contribute to global efforts to tackle the grave challenge of climate change.

2. Building a green Belt and Road

China is committed to working with other countries on promoting green development under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), making it a green initiative. In order to establish a cooperation mechanism for green and low-carbon development under the BRI, China has signed an MoU with the United Nations Environment Programme on building a green Belt and Road, and reached more than 50 cooperation agreements on eco-environmental conservation with relevant countries and international organizations. It has also launched the Initiative for Belt and Road Partnership on Green Development with 31 countries, established the Belt and Road Energy Partnership (BREP)with 32 countries, led the creation of the Belt and Road Initiative International Green Development Coalition (BRIGC), founded the BRI Green Development Institute, and launched the BRI Environmental Big Data Platform.

China has helped other participants in the BRI to build up their environmental governance capacity and improve their people's well-being. It also helps these countries in training personnel for green development, having trained 3,000 people from more than 120 countries under the Green Silk Road Envoys Program. China formulated the Green Investment Principles for the Belt and Road to encourage such investments in related regions. Concurrently, Chinese enterprises have funded renewable energy projects in other BRI countries, and helped them build a number of major clean energy facilities. All these efforts have boosted green development in these countries.

Panel 8 Forging Green, Inclusive BREP

During the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in April 2019, China and 29 other countries initiated the Belt and Road Energy Partnership to promote common development and prosperity in the energy sector under the BRI. With the subsequent accession of Cuba, Morocco and Thailand, membership of this partnership has expanded to 33.

BREP is the first international cooperation platform in the energy sector initiated by China. Through this platform, China has hosted two sessions of the Belt and Road Energy Ministerial Conference and two sessions of the Belt and Road Energy Partnership Forum. These have set the stage for cooperation on bilateral and multilateral projects and on technological exchanges among participating countries, and facilitated practical cooperation on a number of issues. Partnership countries have released multiple key documents, including the Cooperation Principles and Concrete Actions of the Belt and Road Energy Partnership and the Belt and Road Green Energy Cooperation Qingdao Initiative, which have reinforced consensus and pooled the strengths of all parties concerned.

Partnership countries have also issued the Best Practice Cases of Belt and Road Energy Cooperation to highlight green energy projects that are low in pollution and high in efficiency and quality. To advance practical cooperation on green energy, they have founded a cooperation network consisting of government agencies, energy businesses, university think tanks and financial institutions, and they have organized partnership capacity building activities to share experience and advances in green energy development among developing countries.

3. Carrying out extensive bilateral and multilateral cooperation

China has taken active steps to advance practical cooperation on saving resources and protecting the eco-environment. It successfully hosted the first part of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) and the 14th meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.China is an active participant in cooperation on energy transition and energy efficiency under the frameworks of G20, China-ASEAN partnership, ASEAN Plus Three, East Asia Summit, Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, BRICS, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). It took the lead in formulating the G20 Energy Efficiency Leading Programme, a key outcome of the G20 Hangzhou Summit. It has put into action the Global Development Initiative, and worked for the establishment of the Global Clean Energy Cooperation Partnership.

China has also carried out cooperation with other countries and regions — including India, Brazil, South Africa, the United States, Japan, Germany, France, and ASEAN countries — in the fields of energy conservation, environmental protection, clean energy, response to climate change, biodiversity protection, prevention and control of desertification, and conservation of marine and forest resources.

China also supports international organizations, including the UN agencies, Asian Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, New Development Bank, Global Environment Facility, Green Climate Fund, International Energy Agency, and International Renewable Energy Agency, in carrying out technological assistance, capacity building and trial programs for green and low-carbon development in key sectors such as industry, agriculture, energy, transport, and urban-rural development. Through these efforts China has made a significant contribution to advancing sustainable development worldwide.

Conclusion

China has embarked on a new journey to build itself into a modern socialist country in all respects and advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Harmony between humanity and nature is an important feature of China's modernization.

The just-concluded 20th CPC National Congress has made strategic plans for China's future development which will help to create a better environment with greener mountains, cleaner water, and clearer air. China will keep to the path of green development, continue to build an eco-civilization, and strive to realize development with a higher level of quality, efficiency, equity, sustainability and security. We will make "green" a defining feature of a beautiful China and allow the people to share the beauty of nature and life in a healthy environment.

The earth is our one and only home, and humanity and nature form a community of life. It is the common responsibility of all countries to protect the environment and promote sustainable development. China stands ready to work with the international community to advance eco-environmental conservation, promote green development, protect the green earth, and build a cleaner and more beautiful world.