UNOSSC strengthens South-South climate cooperation with China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment

Mr. Jorge Chediek, Envoy of the Secretary-General on South-South Cooperation and Director of UNOSSC, visited the newly restructured Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) in Beijing on 30 May 2018. Mr. Li Gao, Director-General of the MEE Department of Climate Change, received the UNOSSC delegation.

Mr. Chediek acknowledged and appreciated China’s actions on promoting South-South climate cooperation, including through the partnership with UNOSSC during the past few years. He welcomed China’s continued leadership in this area and expressed strong willingness to enhance support to China and other developing countries to strengthen their climate cooperation.

Mr. Chediek also provided updates on the latest developments in United Nations efforts to promote climate cooperation, including the United Nations Action Plan on Promoting South-South Climate Cooperation; and the QIAO Plan on Climate Cooperation and Nature Conservation, which was launched by UNOSSC and China’s Beijing Qiaonyu Foundation in early 2018. He stressed that the QIAO Plan aims to pragmatically complement the efforts of China and other Southern countries on climate cooperation.

Mr. Li introduced China’s recent government restructuring and the new climate change authority within MEE, highlighting that it will enhance the implementation of China’s climate targets and actions. He also appreciated the UN’s constructive role in promoting international and South-South climate cooperation, including through the 2019 Climate Summit to be convened by the Secretary-General and many other concrete actions spearheaded by UNOSSC.

Mr. Li welcomed and congratulated the progress of the QIAO Plan. He expressed willingness to receive more information and to provide their suggestions and support on this new initiative during its implementation.

The two sides agreed to further enhance cooperation based on existing and future collaborations including through:

1. Continued existing collaboration on co-organizing the High-Level Forum on South-South Cooperation on Climate Change during COP24;
2. Jointly producing a publication to be released during COP24, entitled as Southern Climate Solutions: China Experiences;
3. Continued exchange and joint exploration of other collaborative aspirations, such as a trust fund between UN and China on South-South climate cooperation, a UN-affiliated global climate cooperation center, etc.

Article by Liangchun Deng (UNOSSC Specialist, Climate and Sustainable Development Programme, liangchun.deng@unossc.org)