UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed has praised China's significant efforts in tackling climate change and its commitment to multilateralism. As one of the world's largest economies and a major investor in renewables, China has the opportunity to set an example of a new development pathway that decouples growth from emissions. With over half of the world's new renewables projected to be in China, the country's investments in renewable energy and its role in global initiatives like the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework demonstrate its commitment to reversing biodiversity loss and protecting nature. China's contributions have played a crucial part in achieving milestones such as the adoption of a new UN treaty to protect marine biodiversity and the expected overtaking of global solar investment over oil production for the first time.
Despite the challenges posed by climate change, the Deputy Secretary-General highlighted the possibility of averting the worst impacts. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has emphasized that it is still possible to address climate change effectively. Mohammed emphasized the importance of collaboration among the largest economies, including China, to accelerate climate action. She urged China to demonstrate further leadership in sustainable and equitable partnerships, moving away from exploitative practices and towards resilient supply chains. The upcoming Climate Action Summit in Nairobi, convened by Africa, was highlighted as an ideal opportunity to foster such partnerships.
Mohammed stressed the need for all countries, including China, to do more to address the scale of the challenges faced. Young people were called upon to use their voices and influence to advocate for action on climate and nature, engaging with governments and businesses at all levels. She urged them to apply dedication and imagination to build a cleaner, safer, and fairer world for everyone. During her visit to China, Mohammed engaged in roundtable discussions with business leaders, emphasizing the importance of sustainability, technology, innovation, and artificial intelligence in addressing climate change and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She also visited various sites, including the UN Global Geographic Information Knowledge and Innovation Center, an afforestation project, a sand prevention and river protection shelter forest project, and the world's first zero-carbon industrial park in Ordos. These visits showcased China's regional efforts on climate action, long-term investments in afforestation, and innovative approaches to combat desertification and promote renewable energy.
In meetings with Chinese government officials, Mohammed highlighted the benefits of aligning China's development objectives with the SDGs and emphasized the need for a just transition amid the climate crisis. She called for ambitious and action-oriented dialogue among global leaders at the upcoming UN General Assembly in September, marking a crucial midpoint for the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Climate Accord. In conclusion, the UN Deputy Chief commended China's significant investments and leadership in tackling climate change, particularly in the renewable energy sector. China has the potential to set an example by decoupling economic growth from emissions and promoting sustainable, equitable partnerships. However, she emphasized that more needs to be done by China and all countries to address the pressing challenges posed by climate change. Global cooperation and the active participation of young people are crucial in building a more sustainable and equitable world.
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Technology is a useful servant, but a dangerous master, it was rightly said. Electronic devices have grown into an inevitable part of our daily lives.
