EU, Canada, China Defend Multilateralism Ahead of Climate Summit

Government representatives from the European Union, Canada, and China convened in Brussels to champion multilateralism as a crucial strategy for addressing climate change. Their discussions opened the 10th Ministerial Meeting on Climate Action (MoCA), setting the stage for the upcoming COP31 climate summit scheduled for November in Antalya, Turkey.

European Commissioner for Climate Action, Wopke Hoekstra, stressed that climate change must remain a global priority, even amidst rising geopolitical and economic instability and the increasing frequency and severity of climate-related consequences. He highlighted that the primary challenge lies in implementing commitments made under the 2015 Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global temperature rise to 2°C, striving for 1.5°C. "The response cannot be to slow down the transition, it must be accelerated," Hoekstra stated, adding that "climate action, energy, security, and economic prosperity are inseparable goals that reinforce each other."

Canada's Environment Minister, Julie Dabrusin, advocated for climate action implementation grounded in people's daily lives, promoting solutions that enhance affordability, economic resilience, and quality of life. She argued that climate action is not only a moral obligation but also an economic necessity in a global market increasingly valuing sustainability. Dabrusin refuted the idea of choosing between climate action and economic prosperity, noting that Canada reduced its emissions by 10% since 2005 while its economy grew by 42% and its population by 28%. "No country can face the climate challenge alone, and that's why we must work together and support each other," she concluded.

China's Minister of Ecology and Environment, Huang Runqiu, asserted that multilateralism will endure despite the absence of some major countries, implicitly referencing the United States' withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. He called for protecting multilateralism by sending clear political signals and injecting positive energy and certainty into the fight against climate change. Huang also linked climate instability to broader global challenges.

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el multilateralismo no va a desaparecer a pesar de la ausencia de algunos países importantes