Samarkand, Sept. 17 -- Leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states held a meeting of the Council of Heads of State in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Sept. 16 local time, which issued a statement on combating climate change.
The statement noted that the heads of SCO member states unanimously recognized that the current adverse effects of climate change are increasingly visible and the urgency of global action continues to rise. Addressing climate change and promoting the recovery of the world economy after the New Crown Pneumonia epidemic is one of the important issues of our time. Nearly half of the world's population lives in the SCO member states. For their mutual benefit and that of the international community, we are determined to cooperate on addressing the challenges posed by climate change.
The statement said that the heads of SCO member states agreed that climate change and its negative impacts are urgent issues common to all humankind, posing serious challenges to sustainable human development, and that all humankind needs to continuously strengthen international cooperation on the basis of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (hereinafter referred to as "the Convention"), work together to further promote the transformation of economic and social development to inclusive and sustainable development.
The statement said that member states believe that the Paris Agreement should be implemented on the basis of the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, taking into account the national circumstances of each country. We note that greenhouse gas reductions and net zero emissions are essential to achieving the temperature control targets set out in the Paris Agreement, and that countries have the right to set their own national emissions reduction targets and their own implementation pathways.
The statement noted that member countries have made significant contributions in preventing and adapting to climate change in order to achieve global goals. Despite being affected by the New Crown Pneumonia epidemic and generally facing the challenges of recovering their economies and improving their livelihoods, member countries have all taken strong climate action, submitted nationally owned contributions, demonstrated ambition, and set an example for the international community.
The statement said the SCO heads of state noted with great concern that the developed countries listed in Annex II of the convention have not yet met their climate finance commitments, including $100 billion per year by 2020.
We urge Annex II developed countries listed in the Convention to fulfil the above-mentioned commitments as soon as possible before the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP27) and to make a greater contribution to the setting of new collective quantitative financial targets for climate finance beyond 2025, and to expand the provision of necessary support to developing countries in terms of finance, technology development and transfer, and capacity building to help developing countries have the capacity to implement climate action in the context of sustainable development.
The statement noted that member states advocated that a just transition should be supported and efforts should be made to balance emissions reductions and development. We emphasize that per capita greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries are much lower than in developed countries. The right of developing countries to autonomous, sustainable development should be ensured. The Paris Agreement has made it clear that peaking GHG emissions will take longer for developing countries in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication. Unilateral coercive measures violate multilateral principles, seriously undermine multilateral cooperation and joint and individual efforts to address climate change, and weaken the ability of countries to respond to climate change.
Member states believe that the climate agenda should not be used to adopt measures that restrict trade and investment cooperation. Member States call for maintaining openness and non-discrimination based on the principle of climate voluntariness.
Member states noted that the Paris Agreement aims to limit the global average temperature increase to 2°C and works to limit it to 1.5°C. Welcomes the outcome of the 26th Conference of the Parties to the Convention (COP26) and supports Egypt's efforts to prepare and host the 27th Conference of the Parties to the Convention (COP27).
