On June 22, Minister Counsellor Jiang Sunan of the Chinese Embassy in the UK attended and delivered a speech online at the "Parliamentary Links Day - Science and Climate Change" hosted by Stephen Metcalfe, Member of the Parliament and Chair of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee.

In his speech, Minister Counsellor Jiang stated that China has taken an active part in responding to global climate change. At the general debate of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly last year, President Xi Jinping announced that China will strive to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, fully demonstrating China's determination and action to participate in global climate governance and promote global emissions reduction. China is now making action plans for carbon peak and tightening regulations over coal consumption growth. Compared with developed countries that took 50 to 60 years to go from carbon peak to carbon neutrality, China will strive to deliver the same result in only 30 years. China will need to make the world's biggest cut in carbon emission intensity in the shortest time span in world history, which requires broad, deep, and systemic economic and social changes. It is also an important measure of China's own choice to achieve high-quality economic development.

Minister Counsellor Jiang emphasized that in tackling climate change, China has adhered to the concepts of harmonious co-existence between nature and humankind, green development, systematic governance and people-centered development. China has upheld multilateralism and international law, followed the principle of equity and justice, and focused on effective actions for win-win cooperation with the international community. It is important to uphold the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. Developing countries' particular difficulties and concerns should be accommodated and their contribution to climate action should be full recognised. China calls on developed countries to increase climate ambition and take concrete actions to help developing countries strengthen their capacity and resilience against climate change. China hopes that the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) will send this policy message and finalise the negotiations on the unresolved issues over the Paris Rulebook, so as to provide an institutional basis for the full and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement.

China will host the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity this October and looks forward to working with all parties to take global governance on biodiversity to a new level. China and the UK can support each other in making both COP15 and COP26 successful. This will contribute to greater solidarity in the international community to jointly tackle the global environment and climate challenges, and take a green and low-carbon road to rejuvenation.

Minister Counsellor Jiang's speech was warmly received by participants at the event and he later took questions regarding scientific research on climate change, new energy policy and zero carbon challenge.

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Parliamentary Links Day is the largest science event on the annual Parliamentary events calendar, organized by the Royal Society of Biology on behalf of the science and technology community, and brings together scientists, learned societies and Members of Parliament. COP26 President Designate Alok Sharma, Shadow Minister Chi Onwurah for Science, Research & Digital, Government Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance, Chair Greg Clark of House of Commons Science & Technology Select Committee, Royal Society President Sir Adrian Smith and other officials and experts were invited to the event and delivered speeches on the importance of COP26, implementation of climate change policies, formulation of net zero roadmap, relevant scientific research priorities and challenges, and international cooperation.