Xi stresses elevating global biodiversity governance to new height

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday addressed via videolink the opening ceremony of the high-level segment of the second part of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15), held in Canada's Montreal.

Noting that humanity lives in a community with a shared future, Xi said solidarity and cooperation is the only effective way to address global challenges.

"A sound ecosystem is essential for the prosperity of civilization. We must work together to promote harmonious co-existence between man and Nature, build a community of all life on the Earth, and create a clean and beautiful world for us all," Xi said.

"We need to build global consensus on biodiversity protection, jointly work for the conclusion of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, and identify targets and pathways for global biodiversity protection," said the president.

"We need to push forward the global process of biodiversity protection, turn ambitions into action, support developing countries in capacity-building, and coordinate efforts to address climate change, biodiversity loss and other global challenges," he added.

"We need to promote green development through biodiversity protection, speed up the green transition of development modes and lifestyle, and leverage the Global Development Initiative (GDI) to deliver greater benefits to people of all countries," he said.

"We need to uphold a fair and equitable global order on biodiversity protection, firmly defend true multilateralism, firmly support the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law, and form strong synergy for protecting the Earth, our common homeland," he added.

China has made active efforts to promote ecological progress and biodiversity protection, Xi said, adding that the diversity, stability and sustainability of the ecosystem have kept improving.

"We have found a path of biodiversity protection with Chinese characteristics," Xi said.

Going forward, China will continue to advance ecological progress, and plan its development in the context of promoting harmonious co-existence between man and Nature, Xi noted.

"We will respond to the Action Plan for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, and launch a large number of key projects on biodiversity protection and restoration. We will deepen international exchanges and cooperation," Xi said.

"We will do our best to provide support and assistance to fellow developing countries through the Belt and Road Initiative International Green Development Coalition and the Kunming Biodiversity Fund, so as to elevate global biodiversity governance to a new height," he added.