China, EU vow to speed up global renewable energy, back Paris Accord

The European Union and China pledged to accelerate global renewable energy deployment and voiced their support for the Paris Agreement on climate change following the EU-China summit held in Beijing on Thursday.

The EU and China released a joint statement following the summit and expressed "commitment" to accelerating global renewable energy deployment and facilitating access to quality green technologies and products.

The two sides vowed to uphold the "central role" of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement on climate while "fully" and "faithfully" implementing their goals and principles.

"In the fluid and turbulent international situation today, it is crucial that all countries, notably the major economies, maintain policy continuity and stability and step up efforts to address climate change," the statement read.

They also agreed to enhance cooperation in areas such as energy transition, adaptation, methane emissions management, and carbon markets, as well as green and low-carbon technologies.

"Strengthening China-EU cooperation on climate change bears on the well-being of the peoples on both sides and is of great and special significance to upholding multilateralism and advancing global climate governance," the statement further noted.

Under the Paris Agreement, countries worldwide agreed in 2015 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to limit global warming.

The US in January left the agreement, with President Donald Trump saying Washington "will not sabotage our own industries while China pollutes with impunity."

Trump, who says the agreement imposes unfair burdens on the American economy, also withdrew from the deal during his first term in office. The US rejoined under Joe Biden's administration in 2021.