China takes proactive actions to address climate change

"The 'sleeping giant' of the Antarctic Glacier is waking up, and the world must also recognize this." On the eve of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), UN Secretary General Guterres witnessed the impact of climate change on the Antarctic continent and issued such a warning.

In 2023, global extreme weather events occur frequently, and climate change has brought many impacts to the natural environment and human economic and social development. It is becoming increasingly urgent to seek common solutions.

Sending the Voice of China to the International Community

From November 30th to December 13th local time, COP28 was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, making it the largest climate change conference ever attended.

After more than two weeks of negotiations, COP28 reached the UAE consensus on multiple issues related to the first global inventory, mitigation, and adaptation of the Paris Agreement. Zhao Yingmin, the head of the Chinese delegation and deputy minister of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, stated that the first global inventory of the Paris Agreement has sent a strong positive signal to the international community, which is of great milestone significance and has opened a new chapter in the global climate process.

During the COP28 conference, the China Corner held over 100 side events focusing on China's policy actions to address climate change, international cooperation to address climate change, and green and low-carbon development, expressing China's voice to the world and receiving widespread attention from the international community.

Continuously promoting green and low-carbon development

The Ministry of Ecology and Environment recently released the "2023 Annual Report on China's Policies and Actions to Address Climate Change", which provides a detailed introduction to China's new progress in addressing climate change since 2022. It reflects the progress in key areas such as controlling greenhouse gas emissions, adapting to climate change, building carbon markets, policies and support, and actively participating in global governance to address climate change.

Xia Yingxian, Director of the Climate Change Response Department of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, stated that China attaches great importance to addressing climate change, implements a national strategy to actively respond to climate change, constructs a "1+N" policy system to achieve carbon peak and carbon neutrality, promotes industrial, energy, and transportation structural adjustments, adopts a series of measures such as energy conservation and efficiency improvement, establishing and improving market mechanisms, and increasing forest carbon sinks, and makes positive progress in addressing climate change. In 2022, carbon emission intensity decreased by more than 51% compared to 2005, and the proportion of non fossil energy consumption reached 17.5%.

During the COP28 conference, the Chinese Academy of Environmental Sciences, the Public Environment Research Center, and others jointly released the report "China's Practical Actions to Cope with Global Climate Change", which systematically summarized China's practical actions in ten aspects: top-level design, local pilot projects, industry decarbonization, and public participation. It showcased China's progress in implementing the "dual carbon" commitment to the outside world and gathered the best carbon reduction practices.

As of the end of June this year, China's climate investment and financing pilot local reserves have nearly 2000 climate friendly projects, involving nearly 2 trillion yuan in funds; Obtained 108 financial support projects with a total credit amount of 54.563 billion yuan, providing strong support for addressing climate change.

Assist the global response to climate change

China's active response to climate change not only promotes its own green and low-carbon development, but also makes important contributions to the global response to climate change.

In recent years, China has provided practical support to other developing countries such as African countries, small island countries, and least developed countries to help address climate change through cooperation in building low-carbon demonstration zones.

Xia Yingxian introduced that as of September 2023, China has signed 48 memorandums of understanding on South South cooperation on climate change with 40 developing countries, jointly built 4 low-carbon demonstration zones, carried out 75 projects to mitigate and adapt to climate change, held 52 capacity building training courses, and trained more than 2300 officials and technical personnel in the field of climate change for more than 120 developing countries.

Laotian Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Benkan Volaji said that China has become a global leader in the utilization of green and low-carbon energy, as well as an active practitioner and supporter of South South cooperation. The Vientiane Saise Tower Low Carbon Demonstration Zone, jointly constructed by Laos and China, is a sample of environmentally friendly and sustainable development, achieving significant results in reducing energy consumption, carbon emissions, and fossil fuel use.

应对气候变化 中国积极行动

“南极冰川这位‘沉睡的巨人’正在醒来，世界也必须认识到这一点。”《联合国气候变化框架公约》第二十八次缔约方大会(以下简称“COP28”)举行前夕，联合国秘书长古特雷斯目睹了气候变化对南极大陆的影响，发出这样的警告。

2023年，全球极端天气事件频发，气候变化给自然环境和人类经济社会发展带来了诸多影响，寻求共同的应对之道越来越迫切。

向国际社会发出中国声音

当地时间11月30日至12月13日，COP28在阿联酋迪拜举行，这是有史以来参会规模最大的一次气候变化大会。

经过两周多的谈判，COP28就《巴黎协定》首次全球盘点、减缓、适应等多项议题达成“阿联酋共识”。中国代表团团长、生态环境部副部长赵英民表示，《巴黎协定》首次全球盘点，向国际社会发出了强有力的积极信号，具有重要里程碑意义，开启了全球气候进程的新篇章。

COP28举行期间，中国角围绕中国应对气候变化政策行动、应对气候变化国际合作、绿色低碳发展等内容举办100余场边会活动，向世界发出中国声音，受到国际社会的广泛关注。

持续推进绿色低碳发展

生态环境部日前发布了《中国应对气候变化的政策与行动2023年度报告》，详细介绍了2022年以来中国应对气候变化的新进展，反映了重点领域控制温室气体排放、适应气候变化、碳市场建设、政策和支撑保障以及积极参与应对气候变化全球治理的进展。

生态环境部应对气候变化司司长夏应显表示，中国高度重视应对气候变化工作，实施积极应对气候变化国家战略，构建完成碳达峰碳中和“1+N”政策体系，推动产业、能源、交通运输结构调整，采取节能提高能效、建立完善市场机制、增加森林碳汇等一系列措施，应对气候变化取得积极进展，2022年碳排放强度比2005年下降超过51%，非化石能源占能源消费比重达到17.5%。

在COP28举行期间，中国环境科学研究院、公众环境研究中心等联合发布了《应对全球气候变化的中国务实行动》报告，系统梳理了中国在顶层设计、地方试点、行业脱碳及全民参与共十个方面的务实行动，对外展示中国落实“双碳”承诺的进展，汇聚最佳减碳实践。

截至今年6月底，中国气候投融资试点地方储备近2000个气候友好型项目，涉及资金近2万亿元；获得金融支持项目108个，授信总额545.63亿元，为应对气候变化提供了有力支撑。

助力全球应对气候变化

中国积极应对气候变化的行动，不仅推动本国的绿色低碳发展，也为全球应对气候变化作出重要贡献。

近年来，中国通过合作建设低碳示范区等方式，为非洲国家、小岛屿国家、最不发达国家等其他发展中国家提供务实支持，帮助应对气候变化。

夏应显介绍，截至2023年9月，中国已与40个发展中国家签署48份气候变化南南合作谅解备忘录，累计合作建设4个低碳示范区，开展75个减缓和适应气候变化项目，举办52期能力建设培训班，为120多个发展中国家培训2300余名气候变化领域的官员和技术人员。

老挝自然资源与环境部长本坎·沃拉吉说，中国在利用绿色低碳能源方面已成为全球引领者，同时也是南南合作的积极实践者和支持者。老中合作建设的万象赛色塔低碳示范区是环境友好型和可持续发展的样本，在减少能源消耗、碳排放、化石燃料使用等方面取得显著成效。