DUBAI: China is talking with every relevant party to find a solution acceptable to all and promote the success of COP28, which is considered the “most difficult” climate conference in recent years, said Xie Zhenhua, the country’s special envoy for climate change.
“I have participated in climate negotiations for 16 years. The most difficult one is this conference,” Xie told a press conference held in UAE’s Dubai on Saturday evening.
He was speaking of COP28, or the 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which runs from November 30 to December 12.
He told the media that all the topics were fully unfolded in the first week of COP28, with the formation of the first version of a draft document. The version, with 27 pages in total, includes more than 200 issues that need to be solved.
At present, China is in intensive consultations with all major parties to find an agreement that is in line with the spirit of the Paris Agreement, reflects the general trend of energy transformation, and can point out the correct direction of future efforts as well as embodies the greatest inclusiveness, Xie said.
“We have made positive progress. We are very confident on this,” he noted.
Xie noted that the greatest contribution of the Paris Agreement is to point out the general direction of global green and low-carbon transition as well as clarify the path for transformation.
However, he added, the energy transition can be a painful process, as each country has its respective national conditions, energy structures and resource endowments, and people need to bear in mind that energy, food and economic security is a precondition to a smooth transition.
Xie stressed that in the process of energy transition, countries “should understand and support each other, learn from each other’s strengths, find the best solution to problems through strengthening international cooperation.”
Regarding China’s actions on implementing the goals of the Paris Agreement, Xie said the country would achieve a carbon peak before 2030 and had made great contributions to the global energy transition and the development of renewable energy sources.
So far, the cost of wind power generation has been reduced by 80 percent, and photovoltaic power generation by 90 percent, laying a very good foundation for the large-scale deployment of renewable energy around the world, he said.
Xie added that to help developing countries improve their ability to cope with climate change, China had carried out various forms of cooperation, mainly in the form of South-South cooperation and under the framework of green Belt and Road cooperation.
In the future, China will continue to strengthen South-South cooperation and enhance financial and technological cooperation with developing countries, he said.
China is willing to work with all countries to strive for a successful outcome of this year’s climate conference, Xie said, expressing the hope that through difficult negotiations, delegates can find common ground, seek the greatest common denominator and achieve success eventually.
