China and the European Union have reinforced their commitment to tackling global environmental issues by agreeing to enhance cooperation on climate change, biodiversity conservation, and plastic pollution control. This pledge was made 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 around the China-EU High-Level Environment and Climate Dialogue and covered significant topics such as global biodiversity protection, the negotiation of an international agreement on plastic pollution, and the preparations for the upcoming 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31). Huang emphasized the longstanding constructive cooperation between China and the EU in environmental protection and climate action, highlighting the necessity of strengthening communication and implementing existing agreements to advance shared priorities through international cooperation.
One of the focal points of the meeting was the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which aims to protect nature by setting targets for 2030. A key objective of this framework is to restore at least 30 percent of degraded terrestrial, inland water, marine, and coastal ecosystems by 2030. Huang expressed optimism that China and the EU could achieve positive outcomes at COP17 and COP31, thereby contributing to improved global environmental governance.
Ribera expressed appreciation for China’s contributions to environmental protection and climate negotiations, signaling support for continued dialogue and closer collaboration on climate action, biodiversity conservation, and efforts to reduce plastic pollution. The renewed commitment underscores the significance of China-EU cooperation in advancing international environmental agreements and promoting a sustainable future.