China to actively advance global climate negotiations ahead of COP31

China will send a delegation to the 31st session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31), scheduled for November 9 to 20 in Antalya, Türkiye, a Chinese official said Wednesday.

Li Gao, vice minister of ecology and environment, made the remarks at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office.

Li said China would actively advance international climate negotiations, describing the UN climate conference as the main channel and platform for international cooperation in addressing global climate change.

COP31 will conduct negotiations and consultations on nearly 100 agenda items related to the implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement.

These will cover areas including mitigation, adaptation, climate finance and just transition.

As global climate governance shifts its focus from negotiating rules to implementing commitments, China supports making implementation a key priority at COP31, Li said.

The conference should address longstanding issues, including insufficient emission reduction efforts and inadequate climate finance support from developed countries, as well as new challenges arising from unilateralism and protectionism that undermine collective global efforts to tackle climate change, he said.

The multilateral process should support all parties, particularly developing countries, and create favorable conditions for them to implement their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and advance the goals of the Paris Agreement through concrete actions, Li said.

He called for consolidating political consensus on climate action through solidarity and cooperation, stressing that COP31 should uphold multilateralism, adhere to the objectives of the Convention and the Paris Agreement, and uphold the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.

The conference should send a clear political signal to the international community that the global transition toward green and low-carbon development is irreversible, he said.

Li also stressed the need to make progress on climate finance.

He called for in-depth discussions at COP31 on a roadmap for developed countries to fulfill their commitment to providing $300 billion in climate finance by 2035, as well as the goal of tripling adaptation finance.

He further called for advancing international mechanisms for just transition to help countries, particularly developing countries, address the difficulties and challenges they face during the transition and narrow the gap between the Global North and the Global South.