Green goals get boost as countries pool efforts

LONDON－World leaders taking part in a virtual climate summit recognized the importance of tackling climate change, providing opportunities for China and European countries to find more common ground for cooperation.

On Saturday, dozens of national leaders, business chiefs and representatives of international organizations attended the virtual Climate Ambition Summit, which aims to make new commitments to tackling climate change and deliver on the Paris Agreement.

New commitments were outlined at the summit, which was co-convened by the United Nations, Britain and France in partnership with Chile and Italy. The pledges provided a clear signal that the Paris Agreement is working to steeply increase climate action and heighten ambitions for change.

"And so my message to you all, is that together we can use scientific advances to protect our entire planet, our biosphere against a challenge far worse, far more destructive even than coronavirus," British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the summit, which was also attended by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Martin Albrow, a renowned British sociologist, said the event showed that a challenge like global warming "can bring countries, groups and individuals together in a common cause".

Under this common cause, countries like China and those in Europe are taking action.

China aims to have CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The country has also pledged further commitments for 2030 to contribute more to tackling the global climate challenge.

Beijing's efforts were welcomed by experts. The fact that China is taking such measures is helping to change the mentality of people around the world, and to make them aware of the issues that are essential for the future of our societies, said Leon Laulusa, executive vice-president of the ESCP Business School.

Hannah Cloke, professor of hydrology at Britain's University of Reading, said: "A large and influential nation like China committing to positive climate change goals can only be a good thing."

European countries are also making significant strides in contributing to the global fight against climate change.

Leaders of the European Union reached an agreement to cut the bloc's greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 percent by the end of next decade from the 1990 level, European Council President Charles Michel announced on Friday.

Laurence Tubiana, France's former top negotiator for climate change, said on the Project Syndicate website that the EU and China have committed to achieving net-zero carbon dioxide emissions, creating common ground for much deeper cooperation.

Xinhua