CIFTIS 2022 - Global Green Development and Carbon Neutrality Themed Conference

H.E. Mr. Sha Zukang, Chairman of the Forum and Former Under Secretary-General of the United Nations,  

H.E. Mr. Xie Zhenhua, China's Special Envoy on Climate Change,

Mr. Chen Cungen, President of the China Social Work Federation,

Ms. Wang Hong, Member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference,

Mr. Lai Ming, Member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference,

H.E. Ms. Caroline Elizabeth Wilson, British Ambassador to China,

H.E. Mr. Moin Ul Haque, Pakistani Ambassador to China,

Mr. Jules Kortenhorst, Chief Executive Officer of RMI,

Excellencies,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Greetings!

I thank the International Green Economy Association for the invitation to address you at the China International Fair for Trade in Services 2022.

Climate change is one of the major challenges of our time, and no corner of the globe is immune from the devastating consequences of climate change.

There can be no doubt or denial that the world is facing a climate emergency. The past decade was the hottest on record.  Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are at record levels — and rising. We face a triple crisis of climate disruption, biodiversity loss and pollution. Storms, fires, floods and droughts of uncommon force are now all too common and destructive.

Climate change is a risk multiplier that makes worse already existing challenges. According to the World Meteorological Organization and UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, climate- and weather-related disasters have surged fivefold over 50 years. From 1980 to 2019, these natural hazards accounted for 50 per cent of all disasters, 45 per cent of all reported deaths and 74 per cent of all reported economic losses.

For decades developing countries have asked richer ones to provide funding for the costs they face from heat waves, floods, droughts, sea-level rise and other climate-related disasters. They argue that the nations that became wealthy from burning fossil fuels and heated up the planet, causing “loss and damage” in poorer countries. The world’s richest nations bare the greatest responsibility for the climate crisis, yet the effects are being felt first and worst by the poorest nations, and the most vulnerable people and communities.

The recent monsoon rains in Pakistan are a point in case. Exceptional rainfall rates have made this season a “monsoon on steroids,” said António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations. Nearly 35 million people have a been affected besides the calamitous loss of lives and livelihoods.  But if the human toll is catastrophic, the financial toll is almost unimaginable: According to Pakistan’s finance minister, the damage so far is likely to exceed $10 billion, or 4 per cent of the country’s annual gross domestic product.

Twelve years ago, at a United Nations climate summit in Copenhagen, rich nations made a significant pledge. They promised to channel US$100 billion a year to less wealthy nations by 2020, to help them adapt to climate change and mitigate further rises in temperature.

That promise was broken. This is a tragedy and frankly unacceptable.

A healthy planet is the foundation for human well-being, sustainable development and long-term prosperity. Elevating climate action and the restoration of nature is one of the most important tasks for the international community.

"We are on a fast track to climate disaster," as the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said at the launch of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report. We must reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 to keep our global commitment to the 1.5-degree target, without which we are fast tracking a global climatic disaster.

Cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions are still far from where they need to preserve a livable climate, and support for the most vulnerable countries affected by the impacts of climate change is still falling far short.

Technology is on our side in the battle to address climate change. Cleaner fuels, alternative building materials, better batteries and advances in farming and land use. These and other innovations can have a major role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, so we can hit the Paris targets and inject the great ambition that is so urgently needed.

China is taking critical steps. In 2020, President Xi Jinping announced the ambitious dual target of peaking carbon emissions before 2030 and reaching carbon neutrality before 2060. Additionally, China also announced that it would stop financing new coal-fired power plants abroad while stepping up support for green development in developing countries.

Let me take the opportunity to commend the Beijing Municipality for the remarkable work it has done to reduce air pollution in the city. As a regular runner I can attest to that. Understanding Beijing’s air pollution story is crucial for any nation, district or municipality that wishes to follow a similar path. The city’s experiences offer lessons that can apply in almost any context.

While these are important steps, more needs to be done given the size of China’s economy and its share in global carbon emissions. The recent droughts suffered by China, the most devasting on record, are a blunt reminder of the challenge at hand.

The UN Country Team stands by China’s side, to support it in its efforts to attain its climate vision, as well as international commitments such as the Paris Agreement and the SDGs.

Making peace with nature is the defining task of the 21st century. It must be the top priority for everyone, everywhere.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Global challenges need global and inclusive solutions. The world must come together to strengthen multilateralism to enhance green development globally. If there is one global issue on which the interests of all countries are aligned, it is climate change. Member States need to bridge across divisions, come together and deliver, for their people and the planet they inhabit.

Following the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow last year and ahead of the upcoming COP27, today’s event provides us with another timely opportunity to refocus public attention on green development and the climate emergency we are facing. 

With less than eight years left to achieve the SDGs in the Decade of Action, the clock is ticking. The SDGs call for a broad range of multi-stakeholder partnerships, including both public and private sectors, to realize the 2030 Agenda. Private businesses are one critical resource of creative ideas, networks, and capabilities for effective global problem-solving. Partnerships between private and public sectors can generate far more sustainable and scalable solutions.

The future of both people and planet depends on our ability to achieve the Paris Agreement and the SDGs.

But in our interconnected world, these pledges cannot be delivered in isolation. National, regional and global coalitions and financing partnerships will be the key to making it happen, regardless of geography and geopolitics. Solidarity, trust and collective action are essential for success, and we must all support further efforts to safeguard our planet for present and emerging generations. 

I wish you successful deliberations. Thank you.