UN chief welcomes China-EU joint pledge on climate action

HAMILTON, Canada

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday welcomed the joint commitment by China and the European Union to enhance cooperation on climate change.

"The secretary-general welcomes the commitment of China and the European Union to strengthen cooperation on climate change and drive the global just transition," said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the secretary-general, in a statement following the China-EU summit.

Emphasizing the importance of collaboration between the two economic powers, the statement noted: "As two of the world’s largest economies, the secretary-general believes it is critical that China and the European Union continue to work together to ensure that COP30 in Brazil represents a major turning point in the global effort to address the climate crisis."

Reiterating Guterres' broader climate appeal, the statement called on all G20 nations to step up their efforts.

"The secretary-general reiterates his call to all G20 countries to present 2035 NDCs that are economy-wide, cover all emissions, align with the 1.5-degree goal, and define a credible pathway to transition away from fossil fuels as agreed at the First Global Stocktake," the statement added.

On Thursday, the EU and China pledged to accelerate global renewable energy deployment and voiced their support for the Paris Agreement on climate change following the EU-China summit held in Beijing.

In a joint statement, the EU and China expressed "commitment" to accelerating global renewable energy deployment and facilitating access to quality green technologies and products.

Under the Paris Agreement, countries worldwide agreed in 2015 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to limit global warming.