China hopes US will ‘some day’ return to climate fold, says official at COP30
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People attending a panel discussion at the China Pavillion during the COP30 UN Climate Change Conference in Belem, Brazil on Nov 11.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
- China anticipates the US will eventually rejoin climate talks, emphasizing the need to showcase the irreversible nature of the green transition.
- Mr. Li Gao stressed the importance of political solidarity and international cooperation at COP30, urging commitment to addressing climate change.
- Developed countries must honour their commitment to provide US$300 billion annually in climate finance to developing countries by 2035.
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BELEM, Brazil - China believes the United States eventually will return to climate talks, the head of Beijing’s delegation told AFP on Nov 12 at the COP30 climate summit, adding that the world must show that the green transition “cannot be reversed”.
Cooperation between China and the US, the world’s biggest economies and top polluters, has been key in the past to breaking deadlocks during negotiations at the annual UN climate talks.
But President Donald Trump, who pulled the US out
“Addressing climate change needs every country. We hope that some day, and we also believe that some day in the future, the US will come back,” Mr Li Gao, who is also a deputy environment minister, told AFP.
While Mr Trump promotes fossil fuels and rolls back the green tech policies of his predecessor Joe Biden, China is installing more renewable energy sources and putting more electric vehicles on its roads than any other country.
Mr Li said China’s priority at COP30 is to support the Brazilian presidency “together with others to send out a very strong political signal that the green low-carbon transition cannot be reversed” and that “international cooperation cannot be reduced”.
“It is very important that parties here show political solidarity and commit to work together to address climate change and make sure this COP is an implementation COP,” he added.
Mr Li urged countries to “avoid the negative impact of, for example, geopolitical unilateralism or protectionism”.
A major issue being discussed at the Conference of the Parties in Belem is how to provide money to help developing countries transition to green energy and adapt to climate change.
The COP29 gathering in Baku in 2024 ended with developed nations agreeing to provide US$300 billion (S$391 billion) annually in climate finance to poorer countries by 2035, a figure criticised as way below what is needed to meet the challenge.
They also set a much less-specific target of helping to raise US$1.3 trillion annually from public and private sources.
A report released by the heads of COP29 and Brazil’s COP30 presidency says the world has all the tools to reach the target.
“We welcome the report for the US$1.3 trillion, but we think it is crucial that developed countries fulfil the commitment for US$300 billion, because it’s their responsibility,” Mr Li said. AFP
