Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry

China called on developed countries to recognize their historical responsibilities and provide sufficient, predictable, and sustainable financial support to developing countries, to help them achieve a fair green transition, a spokesperson from the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

The comments came in response to a media question during a regular press conference regarding the G20 Summit's recent declaration, which urges all parties to increase climate finance commitments. The spokesperson was also asked whether the negotiations at the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) could create impetus to reaching an agreement and if China was optimistic about avoiding a similar outcome to the Copenhagen climate summit in 2009 at this year's COP29.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian noted that climate change is a common challenge faced by all of humanity, and climate finance is crucial for taking climate action and meeting emission reduction and adaptation objectives. Funding shortages remain one of the challenges for developing countries in implementing their nationally determined contributions.

Regarding the issue of funding, Lin said that the Paris Agreement clearly states that developed countries are obligated to provide financial support to developing countries, while other countries can do so on a voluntary basis.

China urged developed countries to face their historical responsibilities and offer sufficient, predictable, and sustainable financial support to developing countries, thereby helping them achieve a fair energy transition, and providing confidence and assurance for global climate action in the next phase, Lin said.

In the G20 Rio de Janeiro Leaders' Declaration signed during the summit, the leaders underscored the need for increased international collaboration and support, including scaling up public and private climate finance and investment for developing countries, and retreated the need for rapidly and substantially scaling up climate finance from billions to trillions from all sources.

Global Times