How to Engage Youth in Climate Cooperation? Lei Pili’s Speech

Global climate change is a serious challenge facing the world today, which is closely related to the long-term development of mankind and the realization of a better life. It is the key to the harmonious coexistence of man and nature. The report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2017 pointed out that man and nature are a community of life. In September 2020, President Xi Jinping formally proposed China’s “3060 Target” for carbon emissions at the general debate of the United Nations General Assembly. China strives to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, injecting strong impetus into the global response to climate change and the Paris Agreement.

The report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2022 pointed out that respecting nature, conforming to nature, and protecting nature are inherent requirements for building a modern socialist country in an all-round way. Promoting the harmonious coexistence of man and nature is an essential requirement of Chinese modernization, and it demonstrates to the world China’s responsibility as a responsible major country. And the ideal pursuit. While promoting its own economic and social development and achieving green transformation, China has continued to promote green development, international cooperation, and exchanges within the framework of South-South cooperation, and it has made historic contributions to promoting the global climate governance process.

In September 2021, President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Development Initiative (GDI) at the 76th United Nations General Assembly session to promote stronger, greener, and healthier global development. The initiative takes climate change and green development as one of the eight key areas of cooperation, echoes many of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, injects new momentum into the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and receives extensive attention and positive response from the international community.

Then, from July 9 to 10 this year, the first high-level meeting of the Global Shared Development Action Forum, hosted by the China International Development Cooperation Agency, was held in Beijing. President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter. Wang Yi, the member of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party, Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission, read a congratulatory letter from President Xi Jinping and delivered a keynote speech. More than 1,500 Chinese and foreign guests from 158 countries and international organizations attended the forum online and offline to discuss development plans around China’s initiatives and global action themes.

During the conference, the Center for Global Development and Shanghai Jiao Tong University jointly hosted a sub-forum on global green development in the context of carbon neutrality. More than 170 government ministers, heads of international organizations, ambassadors to China, and experts, scholars, and industry representatives in the climate change and green development field from more than 20 countries participated in the meeting. They conducted in-depth exchanges on climate change, the energy revolution, technological innovation, industrial development, and transformation. They reached a positive consensus, demonstrating the determination and confidence of countries worldwide to work together to address climate change and jointly promote the green transformation of industries.

During the meeting, CIDCA also issued guidelines for the Global Development Project Repository and for financing the Global Development Project Repository. Establishing a project library is one of the concrete measures for implementing the Global Development Initiative (GDI) announced by President Xi Jinping at the High-level Dialogue on Global Development in June 2022. The lead implementation unit is the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA). Based on the principles of voluntary participation, multi-party co-construction, innovation, openness, and transparency, and focusing on the eight key areas of cooperation of the Global Development Initiative, including climate change and green development, our Global Development Project Pool will work with the international community to benefit international development cooperation resources and better match the actual development needs of developing countries. Here, we sincerely welcome all parties to participate in the project’s construction actively.

Ladies and gentlemen, young people represent the noble cause of peace and development of mankind in the future, and they cannot be separated from the common actions of young people worldwide. To respond to global climate change and promote the green development of the world, it is even more necessary for young people from all over the world to work together to support young people to participate in global development cooperation and add more vitality to the world’s future development. The Center for Global Development Promotion, the International Department of the All-China Youth Federation and the Global Times Research Institute, jointly established the Home of Young Leaders in Global Development. The United Nations in China, the International Cooperation Department of the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, the Secretariat of the Organizing Committee of the World Youth Development Forum, and the Beijing Young Entrepreneurs Association are the supporting units. During the first high-level meeting of the Global Action Forum for Shared Development, the House of Young Leaders announced the establishment of the Next Global Development Promotion Center, which is willing to serve as a platform to work with all parties to promote the attention of young people in all countries to key issues such as global climate change and encourage young people to propose solutions. New contributions to strengthening youth capacity for implementing the Global Paradigm Initiative and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Ladies and gentlemen, an old Chinese says, “If you do all the strengths, you will not be able to do anything”. The Global Development Promotion Center is willing to strengthen cooperation with all parties in implementing the Global Development Initiative and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, intending to build a community of energy and natural life. We should adhere to the people-centered approach, and a good ecological environment is the fairest public good and the most inclusive people’s livelihood and well-being.

It is necessary to uphold the people-oriented concept, integrate the GDI with the United Nations 2030 Agenda, and more closely align with the development strategies of developing countries to promote stronger, greener, and healthier global development. It is necessary to make the people the direct practitioners of promoting green development, the main beneficiaries of protecting the ecological environment, and depicting a new picture of harmonious coexistence between man and nature.

We need to continue to urge developed countries to fulfill their international obligations and deepen North-South cooperation but also pay more attention to South-South cooperation, strengthen mutual assistance among developing countries, take building a clean and beautiful world as a common goal, and actively strengthen global international cooperation in areas such as climate change and biodiversity conservation. Give full play to the role of governments, the private sector, social organizations, and international institutions, and mobilize the forces of business, academia, and civil society in various countries to form a pattern of common development that coordinates and promotes each other. We must scientifically incubate green achievements and strengthen the global development project pool. In the selection of projects in the field of climate change and green development, it is necessary to adhere to the system concept, achieve simultaneous pollution and carbon reduction, coordinated protection and governance, actively explore the path to realize the value of ecological products, and earnestly practice that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, incubate and cultivate more high-quality projects that will help respond to global climate change and green development, promote the implementation of more livelihood projects, and bring more sense of gain and happiness to the people of all countries. Ladies and gentlemen, let us join hands to actively promote the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, adhere to green, low-carbon, and sustainable development, and jointly protect our beautiful homeland. Finally, I wish the forum a complete success, thank you.