Dimitri de Boer, China Director at ClientEarth, joins CGTN Europe to discuss the importance of global climate governance and how national actions are shaping progress in cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Despite doubts over the effectiveness of past COP summits, he believes the world is largely on track to strengthen climate efforts - with countries like China driving change through affordable green technologies. De Boer highlights the growing opportunities in climate action and calls for stronger international cooperation, particularly as the EU pushes ahead with rapid emission-reduction goals. He notes that, even amid softened targets, European businesses and emerging economies can work closely with China to develop the low-carbon technologies needed for a sustainable future.
00:00Dimitri Deboe is China Director at Client Earth, an environmental law charity.
00:05Dimitri, welcome to the program. Good to see you.
00:08Let's just cut to the chase. Despite years of negotiations, I think it's 29 cops,
00:13greenhouse gas emissions have climbed by, I think it's a third in the last 30 years.
00:18Its critics might well say these gatherings are totally pointless, aren't they?
00:24Well, there is concern like that, but I think what's important is to recognize
00:29that global and climate governance really does work.
00:33The projected heating by 20 to 100 has been lowered significantly
00:38as a result of all of the actions that countries are taking.
00:42You know, in key countries like China are coming forward with very low cost green technology
00:47that provides an opportunity for low carbon development all around the world.
00:51And so the opportunities of climate action, I think, are also becoming much more clear now.
00:56It's all too late, isn't it?
00:59Well, that attitude, you know, we could jump into the spaceship with Musk or not.
01:06I don't think we can afford it.
01:07So we really need to make sure that we protect our one planet.
01:12And it's never too late to act.
01:14Most countries have failed to submit plans.
01:18The Trump administration hasn't even sent any high-level government representative.
01:23Can this COP30 achieve anything?
01:28I think it certainly can.
01:30In the run-up to this COP, what we've already seen is how global South countries,
01:34including Brazil and China and other countries, really came together
01:39and expressed their full support for global climate action, despite the U.S. pulling out.
01:45The EU also came with a decent updated NDC that does show a continued level of interest.
01:54And so basically most of the world is on track for, you know, stepping up climate action in the coming decades.
02:02And I think, as everybody can see, the impacts of climate change, the heat, the ocean, you know, food chains, people, you know, dying.
02:12So the imperative to act stronger on this is also becoming much more obvious.
02:17I would say the popular support for this is still very strong around the world.
02:20Let's just drill down on Europe, if we might.
02:22We've just seen the EU agree on weakened 24 emissions reductions targets ahead of this COP.
02:30How does that affect the credibility of negotiations and come to that, the ambitions of other countries?
02:39Well, Europe wants to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.
02:44It's now set a target for 90 percent by 2040 and something around 70 percent for 2035.
02:52That's still a very rapid rate of emission reductions.
02:56And so my concern actually would be much more around the implementation.
03:01Can Europe continue to be on track to really implement those targets?
03:06And that then boils down to decarbonizing industry, the energy transition.
03:12And that will, in my view, require a lot more cooperation and partnership with countries like China.
03:18And where are the opportunities here for European business or for, you know, other emerging economies to partner with China and with other countries to develop the technologies and to really, you know, supply the world with what's needed now for a low carbon future.
03:35Dimitri, grateful for your time and expertise.
03:38Thank you so much for coming on the program.
03:40Dimitri DeBoer, China Director at ClientEarth.
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