World News | COP26: China's President Xi Calls for 'stronger Actions' Globally to Jointly Tackle Climate Challenge

Beijing, Nov 1 (PTI) Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday called on all countries to take "stronger actions" to jointly tackle the climate challenge and proposed a three-pronged plan of reaching multilateral consensus, focusing on concrete actions and accelerating the green transition to reduce carbon emissions.

Xi, who skipped the World Leaders Summit at the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Glasgow, addressed the meeting with a written statement.

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"I hope all parties will take stronger actions to jointly tackle the climate challenge and protect the planet, the shared home for us all," he said in his statement which was released here.

The adverse impacts of climate change have become increasingly evident, presenting a growing urgency for global action, he said.

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Xi made a three-pronged proposal to address the climate challenge, including upholding multilateral consensus, focusing on concrete actions, and accelerating the green transition.

"When it comes to global challenges such as climate change, multilateralism is the right prescription," Xi, also General Secretary of the ruling Communist Party of China, said.

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement provide the fundamental legal basis for international cooperation on climate.

Parties need to build on existing consensus, increase mutual trust, step up cooperation and work together to deliver a successful COP26 in Glasgow, he said.

Parties need to honour their commitments, set realistic targets and visions, and do their best according to national conditions to deliver their climate action measures, Xi said.

He stressed the responsibility of developed countries in tackling climate change, saying that they should not only do more themselves but should also provide support to help developing countries do better.

In terms of green transition, Xi said it is important to harness innovations in science and technology to transform and upgrade the energy and resources sectors as well as the industrial structure and consumption pattern.

Guided by the vision of a community of life for man and nature, China will continue to prioritise ecological conservation and pursue a green and low-carbon path to development, he said.

"We will foster a green, low-carbon and circular economic system at a faster pace, press ahead with industrial structure adjustment, and rein in the irrational development of energy-intensive and high-emission projects," he said.

He added that China will speed up the green and low-carbon energy transition, vigorously develop renewable energy, and plan and build large wind and photovoltaic power stations, he said.

China, the world's largest carbon emitter, has recently released an action plan for carbon dioxide peaking before 2030, as well as a document titled "Working Guidance For Carbon Dioxide Peaking And Carbon Neutrality In Full And Faithful Implementation Of The New Development Philosophy."

Xi said the country will roll out specific implementation plans for key areas such as energy, industry, construction and transport, and for key sectors such as coal, electricity, iron and steel, and cement, as well as supporting measures in terms of science and technology, carbon sink, fiscal and taxation, and financial incentives.

"These measures will form a '1+N' policy framework for delivering carbon peak and carbon neutrality, with a clearly-defined timetable, roadmap and blueprint," he added.

Ahead of the COP26 summit, China has submitted its updated emissions reduction commitment, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), to the United Nations last Thursday, which climate activists termed as modest and said it failed to improve China's ambition by much.

The updated document includes Xi's pledge last September that China will reach peak carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve neutrality – also known as net zero – before 2060.

Compared with China's previous NDC, submitted in 2016, there are also higher commitments to reducing emissions by 2030, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.

The previous goal to increase China's share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption has been raised from 20 per cent to 25 per cent.

China also aims to reduce carbon intensity – measured as emissions per unit of GDP – by 65 per cent on 2005 levels, another five per cent increase on its 2016 pledge.

The country also aims to increase its forest stock volume by 6 billion cubic metres, up from its previous target of around 4.5 billion.

Installed wind and solar capacity will more than double, from last year's 535 gigawatts to 1,200GW by 2030, according to the documents published on the website of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)