气候变化演讲(英语)-宋哲

Tackle Climate Change Actively and Promote Sustainable Development

--Speech at the EastWest Institute Seminar by H.E. Ambassador Song Zhe, Head of the Mission of the P.R.China to the EU 16 February 2010

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am very pleased to be at this meeting and exchange views with you. I would like to take this opportunity to make three points: first, the Copenhagen Conference was a new starting point to tackle climate change; Secondly, the international community should give adequate attention to the issue of adaptation; Thirdly, China and the EU should strengthen dialogue and cooperation on climate change.

We still have fresh memories of the Copenhagen Conference which was held two months ago. Although the meeting experienced twists and turns, but thanks to the joint efforts of all parties, it ultimately obtained two important results. First, by adhering to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol and the Bali road map, the conference identified clearly the direction for the negotiations in the next step; Secondly, the conference issued the Copenhagen Accord, marking new progress in terms of binding reduction by developed countries and voluntary action by developing countries. It also reached certain consensus on issues such as long-term goals, funding, technology and transparency, which laid the foundation for further strengthening international cooperation on climate change and gave political impetus to future negotiations. It is fair to say that the Copenhagen conference was a success. It produced the best result that can be achieved at this stage, which should be cherished.

On tackling climate change, the road is long and tortuous. The Copenhagen Conference is not the end, but a new beginning. In recent weeks, there are nearly one hundred countries which notified the Secretariat of the Copenhagen Accord their respective emission reduction or mitigation targets.

A series of important international conferences will be held in Bonn and Mexico this year. As a responsible member of the international community, China will continue to play an active and constructive role, earnestly fulfill its commitment, strengthen international cooperation, and with the Copenhagen Accord as the basis, work together with other parties for an early conclusion of the "Bali road map", so as to promote continuous progress of the international cooperation on climate change.

Recently, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao sent letters to Danish Prime Minister Rasmussen and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and stated that China supports the Copenhagen Accord. Premier Wen reiterates that China will strive to achieve national voluntary reduction targets, that is, by 2020, carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP will drop by 40% to 45% than 2005, non-fossil energy will account for about 15% of primary energy consumption, forest area will increase by 40 million hectares over 2005 and forest carbon sink by 1.3 billion cubic meters. This is a voluntary action China takes according to its own national conditions and stage of development, it is not attached to any conditions, or links to other country's emission reduction targets. It reflects the maximum efforts that the Chinese government can make.

Here, I would like to highlight that China is still a developing country. It is in the critical stage of rapid development of industrialization and urbanization. We are facing an arduous task of economic development and improving people's livelihood. China's per capita GDP ranks after the world's first 100. By the UN standard, 150 million Chinese remain in poverty. Every year jobs for 12 million people need to be created, even more than the entire population of Belgium. In addition,