G20 & Chinese recipe of sustainable growth and climate change
Editor's Note: The author is Dr. Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan, Executive Director of the Center for South Asia & International Studies (CSAIS), Islamabad, and Regional Expert on China, CPEC & BRI. This article only reflects the opinion of the author, not necessarily of Gwadar Pro.
It seems that “rigorous” Chinese diplomacy and “holistic” and comprehensive policies have now become an ideal “recipe” of achieving sustainable growth and integrated policies for anti-climate change in the world.
In the first day of G20 Summit in Bali, China once again upheld the importance of unity among the international community for achieving a more inclusive, universally beneficial and resilient global development.
Obviously, China being a major power with constant sustainable economic growth, immense human capital, abundant financial resources, huge foreign reserves and peaceful and participatory global influence, is indeed supporting the world to come out of this economic instability, and recession as soon as possible.
Moreover, China has also announced the Initiative of International Cooperation on Resilient and Stable Industrial and Supply Chains. Now China is in process of establishing the Global Clean Energy Cooperation Partnership which vividly reflects its commitment towards global climate change. China has also proposed the International Cooperation Initiative on Global Food Security in the G20 which would be a value addition to resolve the looming threat of food insecurity in the world.
In the ongoing COP27 in Egypt, China is trying its best to implement anti-climate change “pledges” into “programmes” of “green prosperity”, promises into environmental friendly productivity and last but not least, “words” into “wonders” of green transformations.
China has become a champion of multilateralism and global cooperation and has actively participated in the global climate change governance. Most recently, the Chinese Special Envoy for Climate Change, Xie Zhenhua delivered a keynote speech in the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) in Egypt and stressed that developed countries should fulfill their pledge to provide US$100 billion in climate finance as soon as possible and draw a road map for doubling the adaptation fund.
He ensured the international community of China's readiness and collaboration with all parties to uphold multilateralism and global cooperation for establishing a “just” and “acceptable” system of global climate governance through win-win cooperation.
By offering aid to developing nations in upgrading its capacity for adaptation through South-South cooperation, China has also reiterated its commitment to UNFCCC as well as to the goals, principles, and provisions of its Paris Agreement, in particular the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR).
Unfortunately, the US being the “biggest” emitter of greenhouse gases once again remains aloof and isolated regarding climate related burning issues and their devastating effects on the developing world. It has not yet agreed to a new fund, but John Kerry, President Joe Biden's climate envoy showed some hope in this regard.
China has become one of the biggest contributors to UN UNFCCC climate finance. It has been supporting and advocating befitting green energy propositions, policies, programmes and projects like green BRI & CPEC in the world.
Global temperatures are on the rise due to which glaciers are melting abruptly around the globe especially in the developing countries. High carbon footprints have become “factories of massive destruction”. Moreover, constant decrease in regional as well as global agriculture productivity and dangerous depletion of waters have become easy “prey” of the Western so-called “development paths” and climate change policies.
In this regard, “institutionalisation” of green economic development, common use & utility of renewables and “wind & solar championship of the China” would be new “Green Global Masiha (GGM)” to control climate change.
China’s open-up, modernisation, high-quality development path, shared prosperity and digitalisation would be a way forward for quick economic recovery and anti-climate change effort in the years to come.
