Stronger cooperation sought on climate change

China is looking to deepen its cooperation with African countries to tackle climate change and enhance their capacity to address environmental challenges, a senior official said on Monday.

During a news conference ahead of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, which will run from Wednesday to Friday in Beijing, Chinese officials emphasized the importance of green development in China-Africa relations.

Li Yonghong, deputy director of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment's Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center, highlighted the achievements made through platforms such as the China-Africa Environmental Cooperation Center and the Belt and Road Initiative International Green Development Coalition.

"More than 170 partners from 40 countries, including seven African nations, have participated in the coalition," Li said.

"Joint research efforts, including studies on climate change and sustainable development in China and Africa, have resulted in the publication of various reports."

He said China has trained over 1,500 participants from African countries in areas such as environmental management, pollution control, the green economy and climate change to boost capacity in green development.

The coalition has promoted green industry cooperation by implementing eco-friendly technologies such as photovoltaic power generation, wastewater treatment and electric vehicles in participating countries, Li said, adding that "green and low-carbon development has become a key aspect of China-Africa cooperation".

He said Africa accounts for just 2 percent of global green energy investment in the past decade, and underscored the need for the continent to become more involved in the global green transition to effectively address urgent environmental challenges.

In 2021, during the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, the Declaration on China-Africa Cooperation on Combating Climate Change was adopted. The declaration aims to increase clean energy investment in Africa and support continental efforts to combat climate change.

Li also mentioned that China has signed 19 memorandums of understanding on South-South cooperation to address climate change with 17 African countries. Under the agreements, China has provided equipment such as a micro-satellite system, a solar photovoltaic power station and over 3,000 solar streetlights.

Last September, China proposed a climate change cooperation project in Africa, focusing on the needs of the photovoltaic resources sector and the development of clean energy. "The initiative aims to help African countries address their electricity challenges," Li said.