China and the European Union will drive global climate cooperation at COP30, according to a senior United Nations official. Their partnership could fill the gap left by the United States’ withdrawal and strengthen global efforts under the Paris Agreement.
Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, said both powers will shape discussions at COP30 in Belem, Brazil. She emphasized that strong climate cooperation between China and the EU could guide the world toward more ambitious climate goals.
Andersen highlighted that both sides can create transformative change by investing in low-carbon development and renewable energy in developing nations. She added that Brazil, as the host, will depend on China and the EU to sustain momentum for climate diplomacy.
COP30 carries special significance because countries must update their Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement. Andersen praised China’s new climate targets, which aim to raise wind and solar capacity to 3,600 gigawatts by 2035. She called the goal “extraordinary” and said China helped reduce global renewable energy costs by 90 percent over the last decade.
According to Andersen, China’s progress has made solar energy far more affordable in developing regions such as Africa. She said this achievement shows how climate cooperation can produce global benefits and help nations transition away from fossil fuels.
She also noted that China and the EU continue to hold constructive climate talks during G20 meetings. These exchanges, she said, are essential to maintaining international momentum on emissions reduction despite the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.
Andersen explained that deeper climate cooperation could deliver a triple benefit—boosting markets, creating jobs, and expanding clean energy access. She urged both powers to invest in renewable infrastructure instead of new coal plants to support sustainable growth in developing economies.
Reliable clean energy, she said, could power schools, preserve food and medicine, and help communities expand their industries. Such efforts would strengthen local economies and raise living standards across emerging regions.
Andersen concluded that greater China-EU collaboration can drive industrial growth, increase tax revenue, and ensure long-term prosperity. She called the partnership a “true win-win,” combining innovation, investment, and global solidarity.
As COP30 nears, the world will watch how China and the EU shape the next phase of global climate cooperation and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon future.
