Climate Cooperation Must Persist Despite US Absence, Chinese Minister Urges

Efforts to tackle climate change are confronting evolving political circumstances, but international cooperation should not be weakened by the absence of leaders like US President Donald Trump, China’s Minister for Ecology and Environment, Huang Runqiu, said on Monday.

Speaking on the sidelines of the EU’s annual “ministerial on climate action” in Brussels, Huang’s remarks were widely interpreted as a subtle critique of the Trump administration’s withdrawal from international climate commitments. Though the United States—China’s second-largest greenhouse gas emitter—sank its participation in last year’s COP30 in Brazil and abandoned the Paris Agreement, global leaders remain poised to advance climate policy at COP31 in Turkey later this year.

“We share a responsibility to uphold commitments and ensure that international cooperation is not diminished by the absence of individual leaders or shifting political dynamics,” Runqiu emphasized. The Chinese Minister, alongside European Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra and Canadian Minister for Environment and Climate Change Julie Dabrusin, discussed priorities ahead of COP31 amid a severe heatwave gripping western and southern Europe.

Runqiu reaffirmed China’s determination to intensify its green trajectory, citing Beijing’s 15th Five‑Year Plan, which delineates a roadmap for accelerating a comprehensive green transition over the next five years. He also highlighted China’s eco‑environmental code, featuring a dedicated chapter on low‑carbon development and climate‑change response.

“China will persist in pursuing a green and low‑carbon development path despite international uncertainties,” Runqiu said, lauding the country’s world‑largest carbon‑emissions trading market and its rapidly expanding renewable‑energy system. He acknowledged that heightened global instability, such as ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, underscores the need for resolute climate action to safeguard energy security and economic resilience.

“In these times, we must reinforce cooperation rather than retreat,” Runqiu maintained.

‘Slowing the Energy Transition Is Not an Option,’ Hoekstra Declares

Amid mounting EU challenges—high energy prices and the closure of heavy industries—Commissioner Hoekstra underscored that the green transition cannot be stalled. He argued that electrification powered by clean energy enhances energy security, industrial competitiveness, long‑term affordability, and resilience.

“Climate action, energy, security, and economic prosperity are mutually reinforcing goals that cannot be separated in a world where climate impacts accelerate,” Hoekstra said. He reaffirmed the EU’s firm backing of climate science, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and global scientific collaboration, emphasizing the critical role of reliable data and evidence‑based decision‑making.

Hoekstra highlighted the need for ambitious and credible Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which provide certainty for investors, businesses, and citizens while keeping the Paris Agreement’s goals within reach. He urged countries yet to submit updated NDCs to do so “as soon as possible.” Reflecting on the Global Stocktake, he outlined priorities such as accelerating the shift away from fossil fuels, expanding renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, and strengthening climate resilience.

He described COP31 as an opportunity to transition from promises to implementation, emphasizing the importance of advancing a just transition, developing practical roadmaps, and mobilizing investment to accelerate progress across sectors and regions.

Canada’s ‘Climate Competitiveness’ Strategy

Canada, strengthening its alliances with the EU, presented a “practical climate competitiveness” strategy—reducing emissions while fostering economic growth. Minister Dabrusin outlined policy actions including decarbonizing transport and heavy industry, tightening methane regulations, modernizing electricity grids, and advancing biodiversity targets, such as conserving 30% of land and oceans by 2030. She argued that economic expansion can coexist with emissions reductions, citing Canada’s recent growth amid declining emissions.

“We look forward to COP31 in Antalya, Turkey, with a clear purpose: turning promises into progress, plans into action, ambition into real outcomes,” Dabrusin said. “It is incumbent on all of us to harness the UNFCCC process and COP31 to demonstrate how effective climate action can strengthen competitiveness and economic prosperity for citizens and communities alike.”

The COP31 is scheduled to commence in November in Antalya, Turkey.

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