China and the European Union redoubled their commitment to a strong climate pact on Monday in a Brussels summit, as the Asian giant readied its widely-anticipated pledge for submission. Heads of the world’s number one and three emitters of greenhouse gas emissions signed a joint agreement on climate change and heralded a “new starting point” after 40 years of relations.
It sees a deepening of Sino-European ties as new chiefs seek to overcome former diplomatic hostilities, with Chinese investment earmarked for a European infrastructure fund and greater collaboration on issues from migration to the Greece crisis.
“This year is critical in terms of global climate change governance,” said Chinese premier Li Keqiang, who travelled to the Belgian capital for the first time. “We are willing to work together with the EU side to jointly tackle the challenge posed by climate change that observes principles of common but differentiated responsibility, equity and respective capabilities to implement climate change solutions,” he told reporters in a press conference.
China would submit its “intended nationally determined contribution” before the end of June confirming months of speculation, Keqiang said. Accounting for over a quarter of emissions, it is a significant player in crafting a global warming agreement.
Stories of clear skies and wildlife conquering urban areas might provide much needed comfort during these uncertain times as the health crisis unfolds. But in Brazil, where climate and environmental issues already lack attention and resources, the pandemic underscores the next crisis.
Solutions to the current COVID-19 crisis need to be aligned to those of the climate crisis for a global transformation towards more sustainability, resilience, equity, and justice. Climate diplomacy has the tools to achieve these objectives simultaneously.
In the central Sahel, states are mobilising to combat the impact of climate change as way of reducing conflict. But to respond suitably to growing insecurity, it is important to look beyond a simplistic equation linking global warming and resource scarcity to outbreaks of violence.
Between food losses and critical shortages, COVID-19 and climate change are testing a food system that critics say has lost its resilience to crises.