Official: Developed countries need to boost support for developing nations

China called upon parties to adhere to the Paris climate agreement and uphold multilateralism and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, as the 2019 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP25, nears its end.

China hopes the agreement will be unswervingly followed, said Zhao Yingmin, vice-minister of ecology and environment on Wednesday, addressing a high-level event in Madrid.

The conference concludes on Friday.

"The top priority task now is to further focus on implementation of the Paris agreement on the basis of a comprehensive and accurate understanding of its targets and common but differentiated responsibilities," he said.

Zhao, also head of the Chinese delegation, made the remarks as some countries have called for more ambitious targets than the ones included in the Paris agreement by limiting the temperature rise this century to 1.5 C from preindustrial levels.

The 2015 Paris agreement, however, aims to limit the increase to 2 C while pursuing efforts to further curb it to 1.5 C.

"The key task for the conference is to put the finishing touches on rules governing the Paris agreement. A comprehensive and accurate understanding of the agreement, its articles, principles and targets is extremely critical for the success of the conference," he said later in an interview with China Daily.

All negotiations at the conference should be carried out within the range of the Paris climate agreement, which was negotiated among parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Zhao added.

If any party raises issues outside of the agreement, it will mean that the 2015 treaty, which has yet to be implemented, will have to be renegotiated, and it will take time to reach consensus, he said.

"If any parties would like to show their proactive attitude, they should do that by implementing the Paris agreement rather than by doing something else," he said.

Zhao also told his counterparts that the major cause for the inadequate progress in the world's efforts to fight climate change is the substantial gaps in honoring pre-2020 commitments.

The conference should verify developed countries' commitments in carbon emission reductions and any gaps in support they have pledged to developing countries before 2020. The gap must be closed without transferring any burden to developing countries after 2020, he said.

Zhao also called for developed countries to beef up financial support and enhance transparency.

"China will endeavor to overcome problems and challenges brought by unilateralism and protectionism and unswervingly roll out its national strategy on tackling climate change in a proactive manner," he said, adding that the country will continue to make arduous efforts to fully honor its commitments.