The Bonn COP 23 follows closely the footstep of China's 19th Party Congress when Chinese President Xi Jinxing assured China and global community that the world's largest developing country is stepping firmly into leadership role of global climate change actions. This commitment is made against the backdrop that US is withdrawing from the Paris Agreement when 168 countries have adopted the global deal of actions.
What to expect from China in Bonn?
China will, very constructively, contribute to the global process in Bonn to advance the negotiation of all the items on the table, including the Paris Agreement Rulebook, Facilitative Dialogue to advance implementations as well as lift up level of ambitions in order to meet the 2 degrees C and even 1.5 degrees C, reporting and stocktaking, climate finance, and adaptation communication and resilience;
China will continue to honour its own commitment of actions to the Paris Agreement in both mitigation and adaptation, besides emissions reduction periodic targets, its emissions capping around 2030. The country has laid out a clear pathway forward of a clean, smart and circular economy to tap into emerging technology and innovation and transform fundamentally its growth paradigm that is built upon ecological civilisation by respecting ecological boundaries, pricing natural capitals and facilitating ecological compensation. As President Xi said, Green is Gold. This means that China is making its steadfast efforts to creating the largest environmental public goods market to steer the world second largest economy ship towards a clean and green future;
China will continue to enhance its cooperation with EU and all other countries to "make it happen" and jointly they will create a much larger pie of the New Economy when the Planetary Ship can shift towards a stewardship and better future. I would in particular emphasise the importance of China-EU partnership and joint leadership in advancing decarbonisation of the economy. With China's initiative of Belt and Road, such a partnership offers grand new growth engine between Europe and Asia when digital and the new industrial revolution offers the technology tool to enhance our economic productivity at an unprecedented level;
China will gear up its efforts of South-South climate cooperation. China's pathway offers many other developing countries a lesson and experience over the last 4 decades. China's commitment to bridge closer collaboration with other developing countries shall be appreciated and supported by EU and other large economies to help many developing countries in their new economic development that takes into fuller consideration of adaptation and resilience;
Chinese NGOs will join their counterparts globally to mobilise actions and innovation;
Chinese cities and regions will step up their efforts to join hands with their peers at sub-natnional level to tackling climate change and create low carbon growth opportunities;
Chinese business community will bear the responsibility of energy and economic transformation and turn them into new growth opportunities.
But leadership requires more, in particular in the multi-lateral arena with a focus on such a daunting global challenge like climate change. This is not simply about emissions reductions, nor about developed countries giving financial support to developing countries as compensation. It is about how jointly global community can steer the Planetary Ship towards a sustainable future. China's leadership, while expected at any moment, shall go far beyond COP. With the 3rd and the 4th industrial revolution already unfolding in many parts of the world, human beings are offered a biggest opportunity to make it right this time. And there is an urgency issue. From that perspective, China's commitment to climate leadership role becomes so critical and significant. Only when large economies join hands immediately to create the next economy that is based on planetary stewardship can we human beings have a chance to live up to the Future We All Want.
The Pathway Forward is so clear in front of us. Why not take your action now?
