Active adaptation to climate change 'realistic, urgent': China's COP27 delegate

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt - Actively adapting to climate change is a "realistic and urgent" task, said the head of the Chinese delegation to the UN climate conference on Thursday.

Zhao Yingmin, also vice minister of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, made the remarks at a side event themed "China's Strategies and Actions on Climate Adaptation" held at the 27th session of the Conference of Parties (COP27) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in the Egyptian coastal city of Sharm El-Sheikh.

The minister said that mitigation and adaptation are the two major solutions to dealing with climate change, which should be given equal attention and neither of them should be neglected.

Since global climate change has already taken place, effective adaptation actions can reduce its adverse effects and the risks faced by countries and regions so to protect socio-economic development as well as ecological and environmental security, Zhao said.

In addition to promoting domestic adaptation, China is also actively carrying out South-South cooperation with developing countries on adapting to climate change, he said.

"China has provided equipment to developing countries such as micro-satellites, meteorological mobile stations, and drones to support them in improving their ability in terms of natural disasters monitoring and early warning, as well as climate adaptation," Zhao noted.

He urged the developed countries to fulfill their promise of providing $100 billion to the developing countries in climate finance per year, and draw a road map for doubling the adaptation fund.

On the issue of loss and damage caused by climate change, Zhao said that it is a major concern for developing countries. "China will also make positive efforts and contributions to promoting the progress of the negotiations on loss and damage," he said.

Co-hosted by the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Asian Development Bank and the Global Center on Adaptation, the side event also featured discussions on the policies and actions needed to be taken on adaptation to climate change, and sharing of experiences and cases.