CCTV:
What are China's expectations for the upcoming Climate Change Conference in Poland? Thank you.
Xie Zhenhua:
We have the same expectations as the international community in general for the upcoming conference, and these can be summarized in three aspects.
First, the Paris Agreement adopted in 2015 has taken effect. Now, the main task is to finish the negotiations on implementation guidelines so they can be adopted at the annual climate change conference in Katowice, Poland. Hopefully, we will establish a mechanism to ensure continuity in implementation of the Agreement.
Second, in accordance with the Agreement and the decisions taken at last year's conference, we will have a Talanoa Dialogue at this conference. Initially called a "facilitative dialogue", this gets its name from the Fijian language as it was proposed at the meeting last year in Fiji. During the dialogue, all parties should introduce the best practices they have been able to adopt to address climate change, and discuss their efforts and difficulties in implementation, so as to enhance understanding and strengthen cooperation among all parties concerned. The ultimate purpose of the dialogue is for countries to share their successful experiences to promote accelerated transformation in line with the green and low-carbon development mode.
Third, we must review the implementation of the pre-2020 commitments through the dialogue. For example, this entails examining what each country has done and how effective the measures are, and if the decisions adopted at the conference of all parties have been universally implemented. Another issue is that of capital accumulation. During the Copenhagen conference, developed countries pledged to provide US$100 billion per year to support climate action in developing countries by 2020. We hope the developed countries will take the lead in reducing emissions and that the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol will take effect. Meanwhile, we will review if developed countries have honored their commitments regarding that figure of US$100 billion in annual aid, so as to lay a foundation for further implementation of the Paris Agreement beyond 2020 and achievement of the long-term goal of addressing climate change.
Thank you.
CNN:
As you said in an interview with me before the 2015 Climate Conference in Paris, the international community does not need to worry about China's resolve and policies on climate change, but of those of the United States. You said back then the U.S. might change its policies if a Republican president was elected in the 2016 election. Unfortunately, you called it right. My question, then, is after the Trump administration announced withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, what changes have occurred to China's performance on the global issue? Will China play a greater role? Some people worry that the Chinese government will loosen its environmental protection measures on greenhouse gas emission reduction. What's your comment on that?
Xie Zhenhua:
In international conferences, there are often some people raising this question. First of all, the U.S. is a very important country in the field of climate change. It is fair to say that the cooperation between China and the U.S. made a very important contribution to the forming, signing and putting the agreement into effect. However, President Donald Trump decided to leave the accord after assuming his post. Originally, the international situation regarding the fight against climate change, through win-win, multilateral cooperation, was very good. However, the political influence of the American withdrawal was quite big. At least, it affected the resolve and confidence of some other countries to some extent at first. However, that influence soon dissipated. It is known that China and the U.S. play important roles in responding to the climate issue. So, President Xi Jinping said twice at the U.N. headquarters in Geneva and at an international conference that China would resolutely carry out the Paris Agreement, and not give up the hard-won achievements of the accord. China will firmly carry out the Paris Agreement and take proactive measures. Particularly, China has clearly announced that it will completely fulfill its promises. China has sent out such a strong political signal, which helps stabilize the international efforts to cope with climate change. I attend all kinds of international meetings in the field of climate change, and all countries express their resolve to carry out the Paris Agreement, and all of them promise to implement the agreement earnestly. So, the withdrawal of the U.S. from the agreement had some influence at first, but that influence has since become weaker.
The United States has an important role in reducing emissions, and had promised to provide US$3 billion in finance for the Green Climate Fund (GCF). Therefore, the rest of the world is deeply concerned about its withdrawal, which creates a massive void up front, including a huge funding gap . However, in September, I visited California as a co-chairman of The Global Climate Action Summit (GCA) and was encouraged that at least 17 American states pledging to follow the previous commitments made by the U.S. government, and all have already taken positive actions. There are also some philanthropists who have announced willingness to make up the amount if the U.S. government refuses to pay what it pledged. It should be said there are still positive factors in American society in dealing with climate change. This year, we have seen that extreme weather does not only affect developing countries, but also developed countries, exemplified by the forest fires that recently engulfed California. There has, already, been an enormous impact, with substantial losses. Therefore, I believe that, in dealing with climate change, all countries are showing a willingness to work together, help each other, and do their utmost in accordance with the principle of common but differentiated duties. It can be said that the entire process is still relatively stable. Why is that? It is because in dealing with climate change, humanity has recognized it must transform and innovate the existing growth models and embrace a low-carbon approach – a tendency of which we are all increasingly aware. So I believe this trend is unstoppable.
On the role of China, President Xi Jinping has publicly pledged that we will deliver 100 percent of our commitments. It is not just a matter of honoring our commitments, President Xi's active response to climate change is not a thing that the others have asked us to do, but is out of our own motivations. This is an inherent requirement for China's sustainable development. It is also our responsibility, as a major developing country, to protect humanity and the earth. In this sense, China will remain resolute and proactive in combating climate change and carrying out the Paris Agreement, regardless of the position and attitudes of other countries. Many have asked about the progress that China has made in combating climate change. The following are some figures. China had pledged that by 2020, it would cut its carbon intensity by 40 to 45 percent from 2005 levels. China also pledged to increase the share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to around 15 percent and increase its forest reserves by 1.3 billion cubic meters. By the end of 2017, China's carbon intensity had already fallen by 46 percent, meaning that it has achieved its goal three years ahead of schedule. Renewable energy already accounts for 13.8 percent of primary energy consumption and will surely meet the goal of 15 percent by 2020. Our forest reserves have increased by 2.1 billion cubic meters, exceeding our targets for 2020. The realization of these targets has laid a very solid foundation for achieving peak carbon dioxide emissions in 2030. I am confident that we will fully live up to our commitments and strive to do even better. The difficulties and challenges encountered will not change our goals and determination.
In addition, the action that China has taken to address climate change has also promoted high-quality development. I have mentioned several figures that can demonstrate its intensity and share internationally. We set up goals on energy conservation and emission reduction to reduce carbon intensity. According to figures released by the World Bank, China has contributed to over 50 percent of the conserved energy globally since 2005. Renewable energy in China has the largest scale in the world with the installed capacity totaling 0.65 GW, accounting for 28 percent of the global total. Over the last five to six years, China has led the world in investments in renewable resources resulting in the lowering of the cost of photovoltaic and wind power generation, which is a great contribution to the world.
In addition, regarding forestation. China has the largest plantation area and a forest coverage rate reaching 22 percent. We have already reached the goal of forest stock for the year of 2020.
China has launched a national carbon trading market, maybe the world's largest, with the amount of carbon emissions totaling 3 billion tons. In comparison, the EU has achieved a market of only 1.7 billion tons, although it has been engaged in work on a carbon market for many years.
As President Xi Jinping has announced, China has established the South-South Climate Cooperation Fund to promote cooperation among developing countries.
So far, China has signed memoranda of cooperation with 34 countries, presenting them goods and materials to cope with climate change. We have trained nearly 1,000 officials and researchers from over 100 developing countries to improve their abilities in raising capital and combating climate change.
China has embarked on a road pursuing low-carbon development. The international community agrees that China's progress in combating climate change has great reference significance for other countries.
All the above aspects I have mentioned are China's policies, actions and progress for addressing climate change, and showing it is playing an important role on the global stage. Thank you.
Reuters:
I wanted to ask whether there is any possibility that China will consider increasing its target of emissions reduction. So, low emissions reduction by 2020, or 2030, as you said earlier, China is on the target to meet the 2020 suggested amount agreed at Paris, but increasingly given new reports like the IPCC 1.5℃ report and pressure growing on the European Union to consider reducing its target, I wonder whether China is also considering that, under what conditions it might reduce its emissions target. Thank you.
Xie Zhenhua:
The IPCC recently made a special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels. This report shows that the dangers and impacts of climate change have already happened, and the response to climate change is becoming more and more urgent. It gives us such a clear signal and offers various options. Therefore, Chinese scientists have made great contributions in this regard.
The report put forward that measures must be taken with intensified efforts to limit warming to below 2 °C or 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. And the time is running out. For China, we should accomplish the goals we have already made and strive to do better. For example, as I said just now, two of our 2020 goals have been achieved, and we will continue to work tirelessly to improve this aspect and do a good job. Because doing a good job aims not only to deal with climate change, but also provide an incentive to promote the high-quality development of our domestic economy and society. Therefore, the international community does not need to doubt this, and we will do it seriously.
We hope that developed countries will earnestly honor their commitments. The Paris Agreement enshrines the principle that actions and support must be matched. Actions refer to both mitigation actions and adaptation actions, while support refers to the financial and technical support provided to developing countries by developed countries. As long as the developing countries are provided with financial and technical support to improve their capabilities in all aspects, it is possible for them to take proactive measures. In this sense, therefore, we hope that during the implementation of the Paris Agreement, in the negotiation process of the implementation rules, and in the process of mapping out the future institutional arrangements, the provisions of the Paris Agreement should be seriously implemented, so that all countries in the world can truly establish political mutual trust and take active action to achieve the goals through international cooperation while addressing climate change at different stages. Thank you.
China Daily:
Could you please give us an introduction to the overall construction progress of the national carbon emissions trading market and the plan for the follow-up work? Thank you.
Xie Zhenhua:
This work is organized and promoted by the Climate Change Department, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. I would like to invite Mr. Li to give you some information on that.
Li Gao:
Thank you. It is a major institutional innovation to establish a nationwide carbon emissions trading market in a bid to control greenhouse gas emissions through the market mechanism. It is also an extremely complicated and systemic-based project. We have set up carbon trading pilot schemes in seven provinces and cities since 2011, analyzing relevant experiences as part of the groundwork for establishing a nationwide and integrated carbon emissions trading market. Generally speaking, these pilot schemes have made good progress since trading began in June 2013, with total transactions reaching 270 million tons of carbon dioxide and the trading volume surpassing 6 billion RMB. In the regions that have introduced pilot schemes, the total amount of carbon emissions as well as carbon intensity have both decreased. Thus, the carbon emissions trading market has indeed been significant for meeting our target of controlling greenhouse gas emissions and promoting regional low-carbon development.
On the other hand, we are still learning from the developed countries. As Mr. Xie has mentioned, China is not the first country to establish a carbon emissions trading market. Over the past few years, we have proactively learnt from and drawn on the lessons of the experiences of the E.U. as well as the state of California, making them an important reference in the design of our carbon emissions trading market. We released "The Development Plan of the National Carbon Emissions Trading System (Power Generation Sector)" at the end of 2017, which marked the launch of the carbon emissions trading system (ETS). After that, we have carried out a series of activities and kept advancing the work in regard to reporting, examining and checking carbon emissions in 2016 and 2017. We have made significant progress by proposing an initial design plan for the registration and trading systems, both of which are crucial for development of the ETS. We have also carried out a lot of work in the power generation sector, the first to implement carbon emissions trading, such as the design of carbon quota distribution and the compilation of training materials. In September, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment held a mobilization meeting and carried out large-scale training to ensure the preparation of the power generation sector as the first to join the national carbon ETS. We will continue to advance the relevant work by firmly upholding the principle of considering the carbon ETS as our policy tool in controlling greenhouse gas emissions. It is an important original intention to establish the carbon ETS.
We will steadily advance the phased building of the carbon trading market. After the power generation industry, we will gradually involve more industries and various related parties in carbon emission rights trading and enrich the trading category. During this process, we will be cautious to avoid adverse speculation and over-financialization. We also seek to prevent financial risks and make full use of the carbon market to both reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save related costs.
We will step up the building of the carbon trading market in the following four aspects: First, issuing regulations and supporting rules. Together with relevant departments, we will further advance the adoption of the temporary regulation on the carbon emission rights trading, fundamental to market operation. We will later issue some supporting rules, all of which are currently in the drafting process.
Second, we will boost necessary infrastructure development. So far, the enterprise direct reporting system has taken shape, but needs improvement. We have formed preliminary plans for the registration and trading systems, and we intend to waste no time in their argumentation and optimization.
Third, better managing the work related to quota allocation and verification of the carbon emission reports of key emitters. Next year, we will verify the reports submitted in 2018. Besides, we will exert more efforts in nourishing third party verification agencies. As for the power generation industry, we will issue a guidebook on its quota allocations and encourage spreadsheet making with the guidebook in enterprises. This will enhance the statistical foundation and ensure the quota allocation plan better matches practice.
Fourth, strengthening capability building. Ecological authorities and other related government agencies and organizations should all acquire necessary capacities. Local ecology authorities will have a role to play in managing the carbon trading market, and they need to do more in personnel training and capability building. We have been proactively pushing ahead with technique preparations since the nation launched the carbon trading system in late 2017.We will work harder and try to realize trading as soon as possible. Thank you.
Associated Press:
I would like to ask about China's policy in terms of climate change in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative project. Chinese institutions have been investing heavily in coal projects overseas, and this has raised concern among environmentalists in particular for the Belt and Road project. So, I was wondering if there might be any measures to compensate for the carbon emissions that might increase due to these projects for the Belt and Road.
Xie Zhenhua:
A large part of the Belt and Road cooperation is infrastructure development, which features a lock-in effect, meaning that long-term carbon emissions are mostly determined by the technologies, materials and standards the project adopted at its initiation. When proceeding with the Belt and Road development, the Chinese central government has been very clear that all the construction projects should be green and follows a low carbon path. Therefore, all the projects will adopt the latest technologies, save resources and energy as much as possible, and ensure the best performance in emissions reduction. Our existing standards on energy conservation and climate change reduction should also be adopted for both industrial and non-industrial programs. Moreover, the programs can also use as reference world-leading standards on climate change adaption in order to promote local development and cut emissions at the same time.
We have arranged several "South-South Cooperation" programs with countries along the Belt and Road to help increase their capacity to cope with climate change and also initiated some public welfare programs to help protect the local environment. When proceeding with Belt and Road development, we will strive to ensure the way forward is green and follows a low carbon path.
Both developed and developing countries are now wondering if their measures to cope with climate change will affect the local economy and employment. However, based on Chinese practices in tackling climate change, those worries might be unnecessary. I will give you some figures to showcase how China is following a transformative path in tackling climate change.
From 2005 to 2017, the GDP grew 1.8-fold, during which time the country lifted 170 million people out of poverty. Measures for energy conservation, emissions reduction and environmental protection have also created new employment opportunities and new industries. During the period, we have created over 30 million jobs. Those measures have also improved national performance in dealing with environmental pollution, which is beneficial to public health. Therefore, the measures have promoted high quality economic growth, improved people's wellbeing, and protected their health. Our green and low carbon practices will also be introduced to the Belt and Road countries, seeking to avoid the old development pattern of "pollution first, treatment afterwards" that developed countries followed in their industrialization. We have suffered losses in that process and do not want to see countries along the Belt and Road facing the same consequences. Therefore, we will strive to follow a low carbon path and build a green Belt and Road. Thank you.
Guangming Daily:
How will China push forward with its efforts to address climate change after the government institutional reform? What will be the focus? Thank you.
Xie Zhenhua:
Mr. Li has first-hand knowledge, since he was transferred from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. I'll give the floor to him.
Li Gao:
In this round of government institutional reform, the function of addressing climate change was transferred to the newly-established Ministry of Ecology and Environment. This is a major institutional arrangement made by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council to address climate change and prevent and control pollution in a more coordinated way, as well as pursue ecological and environmental protection more holistically. We will advance China's efforts to address climate change under new circumstances. President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at a national conference on environmental protection in May, which Mr. Xie also mentioned just now. We will ensure the full implementation of the requirements made by President Xi. Addressing climate change, which involves various fields, is beyond the capabilities of one single institution. This function was transferred from the NDRC to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. But it does not mean that all the duties for addressing climate change were or are assumed by the NDRC or the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. The structure of the national leading group on climate change can serve to illustrate the point. Headed by the Chinese premier, the group has members from almost all the institutions. It enables all the institutions to perform their duties and play their roles in a more coordinated way, thus enhancing the effect of related policies.
We have an important task recently to establish a new departmental coordination mechanism under the leadership of the leading group to further coordinate the work between the departments. Through long-term practice, China has formed a working pattern in the field of addressing climate change: the leading group exercises unified leadership over the work, the competent department of climate change (now the Ministry of Ecology and Environment) is responsible for the coordination, all the relevant departments cooperate and support each other, and local departments and various industries fully participate in the field of addressing climate change. Next, we will make such a work pattern play a better role. In addition to maintaining the coordination mechanism at the departmental level, we also need to promote the establishment of provincial-level leading groups and related coordination mechanisms to give impetus to local work, in accordance with the requirements of the State Council after the transfer of local institutions has been completed.
I mentioned earlier that under the new situation it is important to integrate and synergize the work of tackling climate change with environmental pollution prevention and treatment and ecological protection. So next, we will accordingly focus on the better coordination and synergy in addressing climate change and ecological environment protection. In the future, from monitoring to target setting, policy and plan formulating, then to related supervision and implementation in tackling climate change, we should better coordinate our work with environmental pollution control and ecological protection. China has set a medium and long-term goal in addressing climate change, and there is a very practical supervision and implementation mechanism in the field of ecological environment protection. Therefore, how to use such a good mechanism to serve the national goals will be the next focus for the Ministry of Ecology and Environment in addressing climate change.
Of course, tackling climate change involves both international and domestic aspects. At the international level, Xie Zhenhua, special representative for climate change affairs of China, has just introduced that we will continue to work with all parties in a positive and constructive manner to foster a global governance system that is fair, reasonable, and focused on win-win cooperation, unswervingly promote the multilateral system for addressing climate change, and unswervingly promote the full and effective implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC）and the Paris Agreement. This year's negotiations are very important. We will spare no effort in working with all parties to ensure advances in the development of the Paris Agreement implementation rules, so as to lay a good institutional foundation for post-2020 global cooperation in tackling climate change. We will also demonstrate the effectiveness of the multilateral system in addressing the challenges of global climate change through such an outcome.
There are also some other tasks. Since we have put forward the nationally determined action objectives on climate change by 2020 and 2030, we will advance implementation of our enhanced actions and promote some key areas and industries to independently roll out their own plans and roadmaps in view of nationally determined contributions and exert more efforts to ensure achieving the national targets . At the same time, we should take into account the specific conditions beyond 2030, the actual conditions of our national development, the needs to address climate change, and the two-stage development plan for building China into a great modern socialist country put forward at the Nineteenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China, so as to further determine the long-term objectives and tasks of tackling climate change. These are all very important tasks for us in the next stage.
In addition, there is another very important task in the field of climate change. Just now, I have answered the reporter's question on it, that is, to speed up the construction of the national carbon emission trading market. Thank you.
China Review News:
In the upcoming G20 summit to be held in Argentina, what suggestions will China put forward on climate change? Thanks.
Xie Zhenhua:
The framework convention on climate change plays a fundamental role in the international response to the problem. Prior to the Katowice Climate Change Conference, world major economies are to gather in Buenos Aires, Argentina, for the G2O summit [opening this Friday]. The attending countries and international organizations have important influence in both economic development and climate change. So, we hope that they will send out a clear message on implementation of the Paris Agreement and the U.N. 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which will provide more impetus to the Katowice Climate Change Conference. Argentina has always played an active part in tackling climate change, as do the most of the countries attending the summit. So, I believe that there will be more actions on combating climate change, as well as a successful holding of the Climate Change Conference at the end of this year.
Xi Yanchun:
Thanks for Mr. Xie and Mr. Li. Thank you all. That marks the end of the press conference.
