China News Agency, Toronto, December 2nd. The second phase of the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) is about to open.
Huang Runqiu, chairman of the conference and Minister of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China, recently published a signed article in the mainstream Canadian media "Capitol Hill Times", expressing that he expects all parties and stakeholders to demonstrate the spirit of international cooperation, demonstrate political determination and sincerity, and fully demonstrate flexibility. Actively seek compromise solutions on key issues.
Huang Runqiu said in this article entitled "Gathering global governance and joint efforts to build a community of life on earth", biodiversity is the basis for human survival and development, and the blood and foundation of the community of life on earth.
The international community is full of expectations for COP15, and expects to reach the "Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework" ("Framework" for short) to reverse the current global biodiversity loss.
He said that as one of the countries with the richest biodiversity in the world, China attaches great importance to biodiversity protection and has initially formed a comprehensive biodiversity protection system. The land is designated as the red line of ecological protection.
Huang Runqiu said that as the presidency of COP15, China has promoted the first phase of COP15 to a complete success with the highest level of political will and leadership.
In order to successfully hold the second phase of the meeting, China hosted more than 30 bureau meetings, 4 "Framework" working group meetings to coordinate and promote the negotiation process, and used various occasions to communicate extensively with parties and stakeholders.
Especially in the past few months, China has actively cooperated with Canada as the host country. He himself has maintained close communication with the Canadian Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Steven Gilbeau, and met many times via video, working hard for the same goal.
Huang Runqiu said that all parties are welcome to make positive political commitments, continue to increase international capital investment, and create favorable conditions for advancing the consultation process.
He called on the high-level representatives of the parties to focus on solving difficult issues, build the greatest consensus, remove obstacles to reach the "framework", and inject strong political impetus.
Huang Runqiu said that the opening of the second phase of COP15 is coming soon. China will adhere to the principles of openness, transparency, inclusiveness, and party-driven, and work with the host country, Canada, to build the broadest consensus in the international community and promote the achievement of a "framework" that is both ambitious and pragmatic. , and jointly write a new chapter in global biodiversity governance.
The first phase of COP15 will be held in Kunming, China in October 2021.
The second phase of the meeting will be held in Montreal, Canada, where the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity is located, from December 7 to 19 this year.
China will continue to lead the substantive and political affairs of the COP15 as the presidency of the conference.
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