The 8th China-Australia Ministerial Dialogue on Climate Change was successfully held
At the invitation of the Australian Federal Government's Ministry of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water Resources, Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu led a delegation to visit Australia from August 29 to 31, 2024, and jointly held the 8th China-Australia Ministerial Dialogue on Climate Change in Sydney with Australian Minister of Climate Change and Energy Bowen.
Huang Runqiu said that this year marks the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping's state visit to Australia and the 10th anniversary of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Australia. This dialogue is also a concrete measure to implement the consensus on climate change at the annual meetings between the China-Australia Prime Ministers in November 2023 and June 2024. Huang Runqiu introduced my country's policies and progress in terms of carbon market, carbon footprint, adaptation to climate change, etc., elaborated on my country's position on participating in the multilateral process of climate change, and on the outcome of the United Nations Baku Conference on Climate Change (COP29) to be held at the end of this year. China is willing to work with Australia to merge differences and move towards each other, deepen practical cooperation in the field of climate change, better benefit the two peoples, and make positive contributions to global climate governance and sustainable human development.
Bowen introduced Australia's climate change legislation, carbon emission reduction in energy industry and transportation, methane emission reduction in agriculture and animal husbandry, and its views on key issues in international climate change negotiations. He appreciated China's contribution to promoting global climate action and energy green and low-carbon transformation, and is pleased to see the achievements made in the development of China's new energy industry. Bowen said that Australia attaches great importance to dialogue and cooperation with China on climate change, a major issue related to the future of mankind, and jointly promotes multilateral processes. Australia is applying to host the 2026 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) to promote all parties to implement their commitments and take practical actions.
The two sides agreed to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of China and Australia, work with other parties to respond to the global climate crisis, and inject more positive energy into the global climate governance process that is full of uncertainty. The two sides should strengthen policy dialogue, implement the memorandum of understanding on climate change cooperation between the two governments, strive to build climate change response into an important area of bilateral cooperation, implement the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, and jointly support Azerbaijan, chair of COP29, promote the conference to achieve positive results and promote green, low-carbon and sustainable development in both countries and the world.
Huang Runqiu also met with Australia Minister of Environment and Water Resources Prebesker. The two sides had in-depth exchanges on issues such as biodiversity protection, promoting the implementation of the "Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework", plastic pollution prevention and control, and marine ecological environment protection., and agreed to further deepen relevant cooperation and make positive contributions to global sustainable development.
During his visit to Australia, Huang Runqiu and Bowen had extensive exchanges with relevant representatives from the Australian business community, academia and other relevant representatives, encouraging all sectors of Australian society to support China-Australia cooperation on ecological environment and climate change and make positive contributions to the development of bilateral relations.
Australia's Ambassador to China Gidet, Li Fanjie, Chargé d'affaires a.i. of the Chinese Embassy in Australia, and Wang Chunsheng, Acting Consul General in Sydney, participated in relevant activities.
