China at UN conference as a global player in biodiversity conservation

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The UN Conference on Global Biodiversity Conservation COP16 will be held in Cali, Colombia, from 21 October to 1 November 2024. More than 190 countries are attending, and for China, which chaired the previous COP15, the event is a key opportunity to showcase its ambition and progress in biodiversity conservation. The world is facing challenges such as species extinction and ecosystem degradation, and China, as the world's second largest economy, is emerging as a new leader in ecological transformation through the concept of ecological civilisation.

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Past conferences and global goals

Originally scheduled for 2021 in Kunming, China, COP15 was split into two parts due to the pandemic, the second of which was held in Montreal in 2022. The result was the Kunming-Montréal agreement on biodiversity conservation, including ambitious targets such as:

• Protection of 30 % terrestrial and marine areas by 2030.
• Restoration of 30 % damaged ecosystems.
• Reducing the negative impact of pesticides and nutrient loss in the environment by half.

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Chinese Ecological Civilization: the Harmonization of Man and Nature

China is putting ecological civilisation at the centre of its policy. This concept, revived in 2007 by President Xi Jinping, combines economic development with environmental protection. Key measures include:

• Afforestation and wetland protection.
• Building national parks such as Sanjiangyuan, protecting the headwaters of the Yangtze, Yellow and Mekong rivers.
• Reduce CO₂ emissions by 65 % by 2030 compared to 2005.

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Renewable resources and biodiversity

China is investing massively in renewables and plans over 1,200 GW of solar and wind capacity by 2025. This energy revolution includes targets associated with the 30×30 initiative to protect 30 % of the world's land by 2030.

At COP15, China unveiled the Kunming Biodiversity Fund to help developing countries achieve their environmental goals.

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The future at COP16

China comes to COP16 as a leader in biodiversity conservation and an example for other countries. This conference will be another test of its determination and ability to combine ambitious environmental goals with implementation.

CMG