China a key player in global climate action

The world is experiencing the planetary red flags that, without collective action, may confront humanity with unwinnable odds.

Each and every country must go bigger, with action, with ambition, and with investment, to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius and protect Earth's biodiversity.

The ongoing COP16 biodiversity summit in Colombia marks the beginning of a critical period for global environmental diplomacy. In the coming weeks, COP29 on climate change will then convene in Azerbaijan, followed by COP16 on desertification in Saudi Arabia. Together, these three UN environmental summits represent an unprecedented convergence, and a golden opportunity to build on the momentum from the Summit of the Future, and its Pact for the Future, by collectively raising ambition levels, including on finance, and committing to concrete, transformative actions to protect our planet.

The challenges we face are deeply intertwined and globally felt, so much so that our solutions must be equally interconnected.

As a large and growing economy with sizable emissions, but also a leader in the green transition and biodiversity protection, China has the potential to play a central role.

During my recent official visit to the country, I engaged with government officials and thought leaders on China's impressive progress in green development. In particular, I learned about the intensification of efforts to realize its concept of an "ecological civilization" — a vision for the future where decarbonization and environmental protection do not come at the cost of economic growth, but rather strengthen it.

Indeed, China has already made important strides. Its fully protected areas now span approximately 1.73 million square kilometers, or 18 percent of the nation's landmass and this is set to increase.

Non-fossil fuel sources make up over 50 percent of China's total energy generation capacity, and 41 percent of all jobs in renewables globally are in China.

Technological innovation has been key to China's green transformation, particularly in the mobility sector. In 2009, fewer than 500 electric vehicles were sold in China. Last year, there were over 8 million new EV registrations, and today one out of every two vehicles sold in China is either electric or a hybrid.

These advancements are the result of a systematic approach, deliberate policies, and strategic decisions, as well as consistent monitoring of interventions that cut across economy, governance and society, and can adapt to a rapidly evolving context.

Despite this remarkable progress, however, China can continue to build on, and expand its efforts moving forward.

Most notably, by pursuing enhanced commitments in its next generation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) due in 2025, China can point the way toward more ambitious targets and accelerated actions globally — the only way for the world to keep the 1.5 degree Celsius target of the Paris Agreement alive. The NDCs are a critical tool for countries to demonstrate agency in pursuing climate action, while also building accountability and trust, and strengthening international environmental governance.

China can also consider integrating biodiversity considerations into its next NDCs. Nature and climate are two sides of the same coin, and as such, efforts to address these challenges must happen simultaneously, and in harmony with one another. This will also be critical to meeting targets under the historic Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, agreed to at COP15 — the last UN biodiversity summit two years ago presided over by China.

As China accelerates its green transformation, it will likewise be critical to ensure that pathways to a low-carbon future are also inclusive, with new opportunities accessible to everyone. This will require expanded social protection mechanisms and programs to retrain affected workers for green jobs, so that no one is left behind.

Finally, the magnitude of the planetary crises facing the world means that no single country can tackle them alone. China's continued commitment to ecological civilization presents increasingly more opportunities to support other developing countries in adopting nature- and climate-positive approaches by sharing experience, knowledge, low-carbon technologies, and financing through international cooperation.

As the discussions unfold at the three COPs over the following weeks, UNDP remains fully committed to supporting international cooperation to advance sustainable development, and is ready to work together with China, and all countries, in advancing global efforts towards a green, inclusive future. To do this, the world must navigate significant hurdles, including balancing climate commitments, energy security and socio-economic concerns, but shared challenges can, and must, bring shared resolve.

It is time for bold measures, and collective, concerted efforts to reverse our current trajectory, and safeguard both humanity and the natural world before it is too late. Our planet is sounding the alarm — louder and clearer than ever before. The question is, are we finally ready to listen?

The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

The author is UN under-secretary general and UNDP administrator.