The 50th Anniversary Conference of the Environmental Discipline of Peking University

A recoding of these remarks can be found on YouTube and Tencent Video

Excellencies,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,                                                                                                                  

I am pleased to join you today to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China’s first environmental major at Peking University and would like to thank Dean ZHU Tong for the invitation to celebrate this important anniversary with you all.

Founded fifty years ago, at the same time as the first United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, the creation of the first environmental chemistry major in China has resulted in major breakthroughs in various environmental disciplines and provided generations of students with the tools to work in the fields of environmental protection and biodiversity.

Today, this work is more important than ever, as the world today is seriously traumatized and injured with natural disasters, a climate crisis, a lingering global pandemic and geo-political conflict. Biodiversity loss continues at an alarming rate, global consumption of resources expands, and carbon dioxide emissions remain at unsustainable levels, increasing the probability of catastrophic temperature rises.

We see on an ever more frequent basis the consequences of our prior actions and the need for accelerated solutions to combat these challenges. Extreme weather events are becoming ever more frequent, with devastating flooding in Pakistan last year and a severe, prolonged drought wreaking havoc on Horn of Africa Countries, putting lives and livelihoods at risk.

Climate change is humanity’s “Code Red” warning. Our window to avoid climate catastrophe is closing rapidly: droughts are estimated to displace 700 million people by 2030, medium to large-scale disasters will increase 40% from 2015 to 2030, sea levels will rise 30-60 cm by 2100, and rising global temperatures will lead to more extreme weather.

The study of environmental science is of the utmost importance for mankind to explore a more sustainable way of living, to use natural resources in an effective manner without causing any harm to the environment.

Protecting the environment requires collaboration across boundaries, for environmental researchers to reveal the source, behaviour, fate, exposure and risks of pollutants in the environment and to develop potential solutions to control pollution, protect and conserve habitats, and restore degraded lands.

China has been a leader in many of these activities, creating the largest national park system in the world and being an important contributor to reforestation efforts, putting into practice Chinese President Xi Jinping’s guiding concept of “Green is Gold”. But, even with these achievements, we are not doing enough to save our planet.

Despite the growth of investments in renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure, climate finance falls far short of the $100 billion yearly commitment agreed upon at the UNFCCC. We have also witnessed the economic impact that disruptions in the fossil fuel supply chain had in 2022, demonstrating our continued reliance on this unsustainable energy source and underlining the need for us to rapidly decarbonize our energy production systems.

I am confident that with the technical expertise imparted on students here at Peking University, China will continue to scale up its national efforts to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.

As the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres stated at COP27, “We need all hands on deck for faster, bolder climate action. A window of opportunity remains open, but only a narrow shaft of light remains… We are getting dangerously close to the point of no return. The global climate fight will be won or lost in this crucial decade – on our watch. One thing is certain: those that give up are sure to lose. So, let’s fight together – and let’s win.”

The UN family in China will continue to closely work with the Government of China, academic institutions, the private sector, and other UN Member States to accelerate the implementation and operationalization of the current agenda to address these pressing environmental issues.

Last year, the UN worked with the Government of China to leverage its core expertise through the Sustainable Infrastructure Partnership, supporting African partner countries to strengthen environmental planning and management while creating a conducive environment for more sustainable investment flows. We also supported the establishment of the International Hydrogen Energy Center, which promotes best practices in the global hydrogen industry through South-South, triangular and regional cooperation.

I look forward to working with all of you to explore innovative resolutions in the field of environmental science through the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2021-2025), to realize the UN 2030 Agenda.

I wish you fruitful deliberations at today’s conference and congratulate you once again on this important anniversary.