The governments of Germany and China signed a cooperation agreement in Berlin this Tuesday to set up a dialogue mechanism on climate change and the green transition.
The agreement was signed as part of Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s official visit to Germany.
In the document, Berlin and Beijing reaffirmed their commitment to the Paris Agreement and to the goal of keeping global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Such an objective should be based on the “principles of fairness, common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capacities”, according to the text of the agreement cited by the Spanish agency EFE.
The two sides reiterated their intention to reach net-zero emissions by 2045, in the case of Germany, and to achieve this goal by 2060, in the case of China.
The dialogue mechanism aims to “achieve practical results in green and low-carbon development”.
The goal is “promoting the green and low-carbon transition towards accelerated implementation of climate action”.
The collaboration will focus on areas such as industrial decarbonisation policies, standards and certification rules.
The two countries will also promote the exchange of emission reduction strategies in the production of cement, steel, chemicals and paper.
They also propose to work together on the energy transition, through the expansion of renewable energy capacities and the development of a green energy market, as well as energy savings and energy efficiency.
Other issues that will be addressed by the two countries at different levels are carbon dioxide (CO2) emission allowance trading and green transport.
In a statement following the intergovernmental consultations, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Li Qiang today underlined the need for cooperation in the face of major global challenges, including the fight against climate change.
The agreement was signed by German Vice Chancellor and Minister of Economy and Climate Protection Robert Habeck and Chairman of China’s National Development and Reform Commission Zheng Shanjie.
Source: DN
