Baku, November 13, 2024 – The Europe Today: Ding Xuexiang, China’s Vice Premier and special representative of President Xi Jinping, emphasized the need to enhance global early warning systems and boost climate adaptation capacity during a high-level meeting held by China at the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Baku. The meeting focused on early warnings and climate resilience.
Addressing the gathering, Ding, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, highlighted China’s commitment to international collaboration on meteorological early warning systems. He pointed out that President Xi Jinping has outlined specific directives to advance this agenda, given the mounting impact of climate change and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events globally.
“Strengthening early warning systems for all and enhancing climate adaptation capacity have become increasingly important and urgent as extreme weather events pose unprecedented risks to lives, property, and socioeconomic development,” Ding said. He reaffirmed China’s readiness to collaborate with other nations in implementing the United Nations’ “Early Warnings for All” initiative, contributing to global efforts to address climate challenges.
Ding proposed three key measures for advancing global climate resilience:
- Enhancing Global Risk Assessment: Ding called for collective efforts to improve global climate risk assessment capabilities, promote standardized assessments, and provide scientific support for informed climate governance.
- Building a Global Early Warning Network: He stressed the importance of sharing technology, improving system connectivity, and constructing an integrated global early warning system to mitigate climate risks.
- Establishing a Climate Adaptation Partnership: Ding announced China’s plans to launch a South-South cooperation flagship project for climate early warnings, aimed at assisting other developing countries through the provision of meteorological equipment, early warning systems, and capacity-building initiatives.
The meeting was also attended by COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev, Selwin Hart, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Climate Action and Just Transition, World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General Celeste Saulo, and Kamal Kishore, the UN Secretary-General’s special representative for disaster risk reduction. Each delivered speeches in support of advancing global climate resilience measures.
During the session, China released its Action Plan on Early Warning for Climate Change Adaptation (2025-2027), outlining specific steps to enhance early warning capabilities and foster international cooperation on climate resilience.
