Chinese officials and youth focus on climate change

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China's environmental leaders and youth activists are keen to stake out a major role at the UN climate change conference which has opened in the German city of Bonn.

The 23rd annual Conference of the Parties (COP23) under the UN Framework on Climate Change is the world's largest of its kind, bringing together delegates from nearly 200 countries to discuss the progress they have achieved in climate research and improvements they have made in climate-related policies.

Vorege Bainone, Prime Minister of Fiji and the incoming COP23 president speaking in Bonn, Germany. /CFP Photo

Leading the proceedings this year is the island nation of Fiji – one the most vulnerable places on the earth to the effects of global warming.

Top issues on the agenda are the Paris Climate Agreement, allocations under the Green Climate Fund and specific measures countries could implement to mitigate the effects of rising global temperatures.

Dr. Chai Qimin, chief of the International Cooperation Department at China's National Center for Climate Change and International Cooperation, has high hopes for the conference, which began on Monday.

Chai said the leader in advocating climate change awareness used to be the EU but China is stepping into that role, particularly in litigation and the bankrolling of clean projects.

What China wants from the Conference of Parties event

China is a huge emerging market that's focusing on green development and Chai said this would be vital to both social and economic growth.

Climate change is not just a key focus for government entities as many non-governmental organizations around the world are trying to combat the challenges as well.

COP23 can be a key turning point, said Sze Ping Lo, the head of the China office of The World Wide Fund for Nature, the world's largest non-governmental conservation organization. Its main goal is the reduction of humanity's impact on the environment.

Sze Ping Lo, CEO of WWF China /CGTN Photo

The WWF has seen China’s priorities shift from pure economic development to now better balancing of economic growth and environmental sustainability.

Lo added that an ecological civilization was more than a slogan. He said it can only hold if deep institutional changes are implemented, green policies are set and citizens are made more aware of the impact on their daily actions.

Chinese youth take on climate change at COP23 in Bonn

A group of youth activists is part of the Chinese delegation attending the event to express their concerns over climate change.

The CYCAN (China Youth Climate Action Network) is a non-profit organization founded by fresh university graduates hoping to bring together like-minded young people who wish to work together to mitigate climate change.

The organization holds events at universities and collaborates with rural municipal governments across China to raise climate change awareness.

The activities, such as the low carbon campus initiatives and farm work experience, are for youths who are passionate about climate change and want to really get their hands in the weeds.

Field work being carried out by members of CYCAN (China Youth Climate Action Network). /CGTN Photo

The CYCAN-COP Chinese youth delegation was first established after the 2009 Copenhagen Climate Meeting and this will be their eighth year attending the international conference.

Ding Yang, a student at Peking University studying environmental chemistry, said that COP23 has been an important event for CYCAN every year.

It is a place for them to showcase their latest research, discuss their concerns and interact with like-minded people from around the world.

Field Work being carried out by members of CYCAN. /CGTN Photo

Yin Ziqi, a student at Beijing Normal University studying environmental science, cited this year’s event slogan "Think Green, Act Green, Share Green" and said it was not enough to just be aware anymore. The three stages, he said, were vital for people to fully take on to eventually cut down on carbon footprint.

He continued, "The first stage is to ‘think green’, which means people can realize the significance of a low carbon life and it is important to protect the environment.

"The second stage ‘act green’ is that people can take actions. But there is often a gap between the awareness and conscious and the actual actions. It is CYCAN’s action to fill in that gap.

"The third step is ‘share green’; this is what we all want to achieve. Developed countries can share their technologies with developing nations to reduce their carbon emission. From a personal perspective, friends and family can encourage each other to live a low carbon lifestyle."

Though they are only just starting their careers, these aspiring youths have the ambition to make an impact and by attending COP23 they have a chance to show their unswerving dedication to combating climate change on a global scale.

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