Ms. Louise Métivier (L), Mr. Guy Saint-Jacques (C) and Mr. Su Wei (R) participate in the dialogue event entitled "'Canada in Conversation' on Frontline Perspectives from the Paris COP" in Beijing, March 1, 2016. (Photo: Ecns.cn/Wang Fan)
(ECNS) -- A dialogue was held between Chinese and Canadian climate negotiators as well as other participants Tuesday on how the framework paper of a historic climate deal adopted in Paris last December can be turned into concrete action.
The event took place at the Embassy of Canada in Beijing. Louise Métivier, Canada's Chief Negotiator for Climate Change, and her Chinese counterpart, Su Wei, reviewed efforts made at COP21 and shared their hopes for the implementation and ratification of the agreement.
Presiding over the talk, Guy Saint-Jacques, Canadian Ambassador to China, said climate change is one of the greatest global threats with enormous implications for economies, health, agriculture, trade, transportation and energy infrastructure.
Working as the former Chief Negotiator and Ambassador for Climate Change, Saint-Jacques understands how difficult it is to reach a final agreement given the divergent interests and expectations of involved parties. That's exactly what happened in Paris when fears for a resultless end haunted the negotiation table for days before a final pact came as an unexpected triumph.
"I think we need an agreement that reflects the different capabilities and capacities of countries, but still offers ambitions to the world. Otherwise it could not be called a success," Métivier said.
The 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP21) is the latest in a string of UN mechanisms to cope with climate change starting from 1992 in Rio. Nearly two weeks of daunting negotiations ended up with the adoption of a legally-binding agreement by the 195 participating states in addition to the European Union (EU), which aims for a reorientation of the global economy toward a low-carbon model and a progressive move away from fossil fuels.
Collectively, the participating parties vowed to limit global average temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels and strive for limiting the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius, which is an explicit yet challenging target.
"This is the architecture of the agreement so it has to work," Métier said.
Specifically, for the implementation process, both speakers recognized the differentiated circumstances in countries. The Paris climate conference saw parties submitting their own commitments for the first time, as an innovative mechanism to make the negotiation more of a bottom-up process.
In its Intended National Determined Contributions (INDC) announced last May, Canada vowed an economy-wide reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent below 2005 levels by 2030.
As one of the world's largest greenhouse gas emitters, China has pledged to peak its CO2 emissions by 2030 and slash CO2 emissions per unit of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 60-65 percent from the 2005 level. The country is optimizing its energy structure and encouraging the shift towards tech-driven development. China is also set to put its national carbon market into operation in 2017 to further control emissions.
Reaffirming China's climate commitment, Su said perfecting the INDCs system will need more active dialogue and transparency among nations, adding that individual countries should be given the right to decide whether to advance their ambitions on their own will.
The Paris Agreement also saw significant progress on the important issue of funding developing countries to move to a low-carbon economy and adapt to climate change. Métivier believes private players in the market should be further incorporated into the green drive as more technology and finance support are needed to achieve the ultimate goal.
On Apirl 22, a signing ceremony will take place at UN Headquarters in New York, where the Paris Agreement will be open for signature. It will be the first opportunity for governments to advance the process that will lead to the implementation and ratification of the agreement.
Ms. Louise Métivier is Canada's Chief Negotiator for Climate Change, and Assistant Deputy Minister of the International Affairs Branch at Environment and Climate Change Canada; Mr. Su Wei is China's Chief Negotiator for Climate Change, and Director General of the Department of Climate Change at National Development and Reform Commission
