China, EU expected to play key role at COP30

China and the European Union, two of the world's most prominent climate actors, are expected to play pivotal roles in shaping the outcomes of the 30th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, or COP30, according to a senior UN official.

In an exclusive interview with China Daily in the run-up to COP30, scheduled next month in Belem, Brazil, Inger Andersen, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme, said that she looks forward to seeing how China and the EU will step up climate diplomacy in the wake of the United States' absence.

While supporting Brazil to ensure a successful COP30, China and the EU are expected to facilitate "transformative" low-carbon investment in developing economies, which will create multilateral wins, she said.

The US, which, along with China, laid the foundation for international support for the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement, and has historically played a crucial role in global climate negotiations, has announced it will withdraw from the international accord for the second time, citing "unfair burdens" on the US economy.

Pointing out that COP30 holds special significance, because it will review the Nationally Determined Contributions that each party needs to update every five years under the Paris pact, Andersen commended the announcement of China's NDCs by President Xi Jinping in his video speech delivered to the UN Climate Summit 2025 in September.

She highlighted in particular China's goal to increase installed capacity of wind and solar power to 3,600 gigawatts by 2035, calling it "mind-boggling", considering the country's current capacity of less than 2,000 GW.

"On renewable energy, frankly, China has helped bring that price down by 90 percent in the past 10 to 15 years. It's amazing. ... We can see that when China sets the pace of the run, it makes a difference," Andersen said, noting that because of China, she is now able to find cheaper solar panels in Africa, where she lives, to install on her roof. "So I think we have to understand that what China is doing at home is also making an impact abroad," she added.

The energy transition is a formidable challenge, yet China has shown that it is achievable through a determined, long-term investment strategy in new technologies, Andersen said. This approach has not only reduced emissions, but also created jobs, stimulated economic growth, expanded energy access and opened up new global markets, she said.

Andersen underscored the important role China has played in global climate governance, especially in UN climate negotiations.

Amid the US' expected lack of major presence at COP30, she said she is glad that there has been in-depth communication between China and the EU in the context of G20 meetings in South Africa.

"I'm very happy to know that these conversations are taking place, and that there is a mutual understanding of ambition. I'm sure that Brazil will lean on both of these parties, as well as on everyone else, to stretch as best as they can," she said.

Emphasizing that millions of people in the Global South still lack access to energy, Andersen highlighted the huge potential for China-EU cooperation in addressing the problem and promoting energy transition in developing economies. She underlined the critical importance of building renewable energy infrastructure, instead of coal-powered plants, to provide energy access to the masses.

Andersen said that with tech innovation and investment from China and the EU, the impact could be immense. By promoting local manufacturing, these could stimulate an industrial boom, she said.

China-EU joint investment could trigger triple benefit by strengthening markets and creating jobs in China, Europe and recipient countries, Andersen said.

The benefits for recipient countries would be foundational — ranging from electricity for education and refrigeration for food and medicines to a secure cold chain for vaccines, she said, emphasizing that these developments would catalyze industrial growth, increase tax revenue, and place beneficiary nations on a path to sustained prosperity.

"So it is a true win-win. That I think is something to really celebrate. And there will be innovations happening," Andersen added.

houliqiang@chinadaily.com.cn