The recent events in Paris have been heavily broadcast around the world, with all nations– including China – coming together to offer their support and condolences to the victims in France. However, these unfortunate circumstances in Paris are not the only event in France that will make history this year.

The Paris Climate Change Conference (COP 21) has already begun and will continue until the 8th of December this year. There are high expectations for the outcomes, especially looking back at the road of negotiations that lead us here. So what are the expected outcomes of the Paris negotiations? Will the future be brighter – and cleaner?

In the buildup to Copenhagen, the two largest greenhouse gas emitters- China and the United States – had got together to make some agreements related to clean energy. More recently, these commitments have been growing much stronger. They have been able to find much more common a ground and made joint announcements in both late 2014 and again in September 2015, in which they confirmed high global ambitions towards fighting climate change.

This has sent a positive signal to the rest of the world. And China’s commitments to climate change actions are the most ambitious ever: by 2030 China will ensure a peak in CO2 emissions and has aimed to lowering itper unit of GDP by 60% to 65% from the 2005 level and increase the share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to around 20%. This is just one of the many examples that reflect the Government’s dedication to green growth. The commitments have been incorporated into domestic planning and will steer China’s development path in the next five years (2016-2020). Actions are already set in motion with a variety of sectors being “greened” to provide necessary support. The establishment of a more comprehensive and effective green financial system is well under way. In 2017, China is scheduled to implement the national emission trading scheme, which has been in pilot form for a few years now.

While experimenting at home, China has also expressed willingness to support the rest of the world. Just recently, a RMB 20 billion Climate Change Fund for South-South Cooperation was announced to channel assistance towards developing countries to tackle climate change. Meanwhile, China-led initiatives such as the Belt and Road provides numerous opportunities for green development in partner countries, through climate-proof infrastructure building, green international trade and technology transfer. This holds substantial prospects, especially with the support of the newly-established development banks, notably the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) that bears “green” as the cornerstone of its conduct. 

Paris, therefore, looks promising, and the world is watching China to see where it goes. In the anticipation of a fruitful agreement around the globe to combat climate change, UNDP stands ready to help China and the world deliver green development goals.

The author is the UNDP China Country Director