China Envoy Urges Global Cooperation on Climate Goals Amid Geopolitical Hurdles

China's Special Envoy for Climate Change, Liu Zhenmin, has called for enhanced multilateralism and international cooperation to maintain momentum toward global carbon neutrality. He identified rising geopolitical tensions, unilateralism, and trade restrictions as significant obstacles to effective climate action worldwide.

Speaking at the Indonesia Net Zero Summit in Jakarta, Liu noted the substantial geopolitical shifts over the past two years, which have complicated the international collaboration necessary to accelerate the energy transition and meet carbon neutrality goals. He stated that geopolitical competition has eroded trust between nations, while unilateral actions and green trade barriers have increased the costs of energy transition and hampered global cooperation.

Liu referenced an analysis by Wood Mackenzie, which suggests that restrictive policies on clean energy supply chains could increase global energy transition costs by approximately 20 percent. Beyond geopolitical challenges, he also pointed to a deficit in climate governance leadership, with some countries withdrawing from multilateral climate commitments and reduced funding exacerbating the gap between developed and developing nations.

Developing countries, Liu explained, face a dual burden: confronting the escalating impacts of climate change while striving for economic growth with limited access to technology, funding, and capacity. He specifically mentioned large developing nations like China and Indonesia, which must balance economic development with their carbon emission reduction targets.

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Geopolitical competition has reduced trust between countries. Unilateralism and various green trade barriers have increased the cost of energy transition and hindered international cooperation.