China and the European Union have committed to enhancing their collaboration on climate change, biodiversity conservation, and plastic pollution control. This commitment was reaffirmed during a meeting between China’s Minister of Ecology and Environment, Huang Runqiu, and Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, at the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17) in Yerevan, Armenia.
The discussions centered on the ongoing China-EU High-Level Environment and Climate Dialogue, global biodiversity protection efforts, negotiations for a global agreement on plastic pollution, and preparations for the upcoming 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31). Huang emphasized the importance of maintaining constructive cooperation, strengthening communication, and advancing shared environmental priorities through international collaboration.
Both parties discussed the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which sets forth long-term goals for nature protection and aims to restore at least 30 percent of degraded terrestrial, inland water, marine, and coastal ecosystems by 2030. Huang expressed hope for collaborative efforts between China and the EU to achieve positive outcomes at COP17 and COP31, contributing to improved global environmental governance.
Teresa Ribera acknowledged China’s contributions to environmental protection and climate negotiations, emphasizing the need for continued dialogue and closer cooperation on climate action, biodiversity conservation, and reducing plastic pollution.
This renewed commitment underscores the significance of China-EU cooperation in promoting international environmental agreements and fostering a sustainable future. The cooperation between these two global powers is seen as a critical step in addressing major environmental challenges and advancing global sustainability initiatives.