Whereas the European Union intends to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, its major international partners, including China, also have a particular responsibility to take on the fight against climate disruption; this was stressed by the European Commission’s Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal Frans Timmermans in a speech to members of Tsinghua University (Beijing) on Thursday, 26 November.
“While we are convinced that the Green Deal is the right path to a sustainable future, there is no sense in us Europeans going this road alone. Working together with international partners is an absolute must”, thus declared the vice-president.
He went on to add, “As we prepare for COP26 next year, I hope to find China at our side”.
Addressing the risk that measures to reduce emissions in the EU could lead to increased emissions elsewhere, Mr Timmermans reiterated that the European Union will implement a carbon border adjustment mechanism “[if] differences in levels of ambition persist and there is a risk of carbon leakage”.
As a discreet request to Beijing, he then insisted,“If we all move in the same direction, there is no need for adjustment at the border”.
Finally, the Dutchman praised China’s recent commitment in favour of carbon neutrality by 2060 as well as its intentions to create a national emissions trading system (ETS). (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)