The world must pull together as humanity faces increasing threats from climate change, and apportioning blame for the problem achieves nothing, Xie Zhenhua, China's special envoy for climate change affairs, has said, calling for cooperation and shared responsibility.

During a joint interview with China Media Group (CMG) and The Guardian at the UN Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP26) on Monday, Xie outlined the key concerns and areas of contention among countries at the halfway point of the meeting in Glasgow. He said China's position on the 1.5 degree-Celsius global warming target set by the Paris Agreement is clear, and bickering over its wording would only cause delays.

The Paris Agreement's stated consensus was to "limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels." "It is a goal that's inclusive, achievable and realistic," Xie said.

He pointed out that developing countries are most concerned about securing the $100 billion a year funding pledged by developed countries at the 2009 Copenhagen climate conference, a promise that remains unfulfilled 12 years later.

"We believe we need a solid plan for the $100 billion-a-year funding support this time," he said. "As of now, unfortunately, maybe about $80 billion has materialized, and $20 billion remains due."  

He said implementing a clear timetable and roadmap on the financing before and after 2025 is an issue of great concern for developing countries and is vital to political mutual trust.

The Chinese envoy also responded to media reports questioning China's sincerity in addressing the issue of climate change after Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a written statement at the COP26 World Leaders Summit last week.

Xie said that China has consistently demonstrated its commitment to green development and contributions to the global efforts to reduce CO2 emissions through concrete actions.

"After a certain country withdrew from the Paris Agreement, President Xi stressed on multilateral occasions that the Paris Agreement is the general direction for global development and a hard-earned success we should not give up on," Xie said, referring to the previous U.S. administration's withdrawal from the climate agreement. "And China will make good on its promises 100 percent."

To tackle the challenges from climate change, slogans are not enough, he said, adding, "Only actions are the true measures as to whether a country takes this issue seriously." 

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