As part of the preparations for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), Wopke Hoekstra, the European Commissioner for Climate Action, concluded his visit to Beijing on Thursday 16 November, with a meeting with Xie Zhenhua, China’s special envoy for climate change.
According to a European Commission press release, the meeting proved to be a “frank and productive exchange”, marking a significant step towards greater collaboration between the EU and China in the fight against climate change.
The urgent need to act on the climate crisis, which is already tangible in China and the EU, was at the heart of the discussions. Both parties recognised the need for collective action to combat climate change effectively and reiterated their commitment to achieving the objectives set out in the Paris Agreement. One of the highlights of this commitment will be the first Global Stocktake, scheduled to take place at COP28, which begins in Dubai on 30 November.
The main topics for discussion at this UN conference included decarbonisation of energy systems, adaptation to climate change, climate financing, carbon pricing, and implementing the fund for loss and damage. Mr Hoekstra stressed the need for a strong ambition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, emphasising the importance of capping global emissions and significantly increasing renewable energy production and energy efficiency by 2030. These efforts are essential if we are to work towards phasing out the use of fossil fuels.
The dialogue also focused on the impact of ending the use of coal and other fossil fuels on industrial transformation while balancing these changes with the imperatives of energy security. On the issue of climate financing, Mr Hoekstra stressed the importance of widespread contributions from all parties capable of doing so, in particular, to support the loss and damage fund.
The European Commissioner also reaffirmed the EU’s willingness to work closely with China before and during COP28, to achieve results that benefit all parties. He also praised China’s remarkable advances in renewable energy and pledged to continue cooperation on issues such as carbon pricing, the implementation of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) (see EUROPE 13294/16), the reduction of methane emissions and the scientific study of climate change.
Mr Hoekstra also expressed Europe’s concerns about the level playing field at the global level, underlining the EU’s commitment to generating mutual benefits in the context of the ecological transition, particularly in innovation, clean technologies and industrial decarbonisation. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)