Beijing/Wellington, 17 October 2022 (TDI): China virtually hosted the fourth New Zealand-China Ministerial Dialogue on Climate Change on Thursday, 13 October.
The meeting was attended by the Chinese Minister for Ecology and Environment, Huang Runqiu, and New Zealand’s Minister for Climate Change, James Shaw.
Both the Ministers discussed local and global climate issues and bilateral cooperation to reverse climate change. New Zealand and China reaffirm cooperation technically, politically, and scientifically on climate action.
During the dialogue, Minister Shaw and Minister Runqiu discussed and covered updates regarding domestic climate change policy. They further shared views on global climate ambitions and areas of bilateral cooperation.
New Zealand and China further discussed commonalities and differences in approaches of both states to adopt climate change and tackle it. And emphasize learning from each other’s approaches toward climate change.
The two officials for Climate Change discussed the upcoming COP27 in Egypt. Both ministers shared views on achieving domestic climate transition.
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Shaw and Runqiu further discussed the COP15 Conference on Biodiversity in Kunming, from 11 to 15 October, hosted by China.
They further shared their views on the importance of climate finance and green finance to climate action and their desire to fully cooperate in this regard.
Moreover, New Zealand’s Minister for Climate Change, James Shaw said that China is an important partner for New Zealand as the bilateral cooperation in climate action is enhanced due to arrangements on Climate Change cooperation.
These were signed in 2014, and Implementing Arrangements on Strengthening Cooperation on Climate Change was signed in 2017.
He further stated the importance of ministerial-level dialogue on climate change which plays a vital role to address global climate issues and cooperation in the betterment of climate action.
James Shaw also stressed continuing bilateral cooperation with China on climate change. He mentioned the success of the New Zealand-China Leaders’ Statement on Climate Change, adopted by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern & Premier Li Keqiang in 2019.
