Xi says green transition must be accelerated

Multilateral consensus and concrete actions urged in statement to COP 26

President Xi Jinping emphasized on Monday the importance of upholding multilateral consensus, focusing on concrete actions and accelerating the green transition in order to tackle climate change and revive the world economy.

He made the remark in a written statement for the World Leaders Summit at the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, or COP 26. The two-day summit kicked off on Monday in Glasgow, Scotland.

"As we speak, the adverse impacts of climate change have become increasingly evident, presenting a growing urgency for global action. How to respond to climate change and revive the world economy are challenges of our times that we must meet," Xi said in the statement.

He also said that the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement provide the fundamental legal basis for international climate cooperation.

Parties need to build on existing consensus, increase mutual trust, step up cooperation and work together to deliver a successful COP 26 in Glasgow, he said.

According to Xi, parties need to honor their commitments, set realistic targets and visions, and do their best according to national conditions to deliver climate action measures.

"Developed countries should not only do more themselves, but should also provide support to help developing countries do better," he said.

Xi also emphasized the importance of harnessing innovations in science and technology to transform and upgrade the energy and resource sectors as well as the industrial structure and consumption patterns.

The president said that China will continue to prioritize ecological conservation and pursue a green and low-carbon path to development.

China will foster a green, low-carbon and circular economic system at a faster pace, press ahead with industrial structure adjustment, and rein in the irrational development of energy-intensive and high-emission projects, he said.

Xi said that China will also speed up the transition to green and low-carbon energy, vigorously develop renewable energy, and plan and build large wind and photovoltaic power stations.

"I hope all parties will take stronger actions to jointly tackle the climate challenge and protect the planet, the shared home for us all," he said.

COP 26 is the first conference after the five-year review cycle under the Paris Agreement adopted in 2015. Delegates are expected to review overall progress and plan future actions on climate change in the next two weeks.