G-20 Countries Should Take the Lead in Tackling Climate Change: Xi Jinping

Chinese President Xi Jinping has said that the G-20 countries should take the lead in tackling climate change, and push for the full and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement.

Chinese President Xi Jinping while addressing the Leaders’ Side Event on Safeguarding the Planet of the G-20 Riyadh Summit said that the G-20 countries should take the lead in tackling climate change, follow the guidance of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and push for the full and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement.

“G-20 should continue to take the lead in tackling climate change. We need to follow the guidance of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and push for the full and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement,” he said.

The US and China are the top two polluters of the world. And with US President-elect Joe Biden’s promise to rejoin the Paris Agreement after he takes over power early next year, its implementation is expected to get a big boost to efforts to tackle climate change and other environmental challenges to protect the planet.

During his address, Xi reaffirmed China’s commitment to striving to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. He said that China supports the shift to low-carbon energy in the post-COVID era to achieve the goal of Sustainable Energy for All.

Giving a proof of its commitments, he said that China has put in place the world’s biggest clean energy system, and has led the world in the output and sales of new energy vehicles (EVs) for five years running. 

“China will pursue clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient use of energy and accelerate the growth of new energy and green industries to promote greener economic and social development in all respects,” he said.

He further called on the G-20 countries to protect the ecosystem with a respect for Nature, and said China supports deepening G20 cooperation in reducing land degradation, conserving coral reefs, and cleaning up plastic from the ocean.

As reported by us earlier, in his address at the G-20 summit PM Narendra Modi also underscored that for an inclusive, resilient and sustainable recovery in a Post COVID world, effective global governance is required and reformed multilateralism through improvement in character, governance and processes of multilateral institutions is the need of the hour.

The PM further underscored the importance of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals aimed at ‘leaving no one behind’. He said that India is not only meeting Paris Agreement targets but will be exceeding them.