The European Union and China are going to agree on a joint statement on the Paris climate deal, saying that it is “an imperative more important than ever”. A draft of the document, which emphasized the “highest political commitment” to implement the deal, is seen as a likely blow to the Trump administration which is still contemplating a withdrawal from the agreement. The joint statement will be published on Friday (2 June) after a summit in Brussels.
Chinese and EU leaders have been working behind the scenes on a joint position on renewable energy and climate change. The document will stress the dangers posed by rising temperatures “as a national security issue and multiplying factor of social and political fragility,” while acknowledging that the transition to clean energy creates jobs and economic growth. The draft paper also says that “the EU and China consider the Paris agreement as an historic achievement further accelerating the irreversible global low greenhouse gas emission and climate resilient development” and stresses that “it is proof that with shared political will and mutual trust, multilateralism can succeed in building fair and effective solutions to the most critical global problems of our time. The EU and China underline their highest political commitment to the effective implementation of the Paris Agreement in all its aspects.”
The EU and China vow to step up action and come up with further policies and measures to implement their national plans on cutting carbon dioxide and outline their long term low carbon strategies by 2020. The document also mentions other areas of cooperation, including the development and integration of carbon markets, in addition to bilateral work on energy labeling, performance standards of buildings and energy performance. “The EU and China are joining forces to forge ahead on the implementation of the Paris agreement and accelerate the global transition to clean energy,” EU Climate Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete concluded.
