As the United States retreats from its Paris Agreement pledges, the European Union and China are stepping up to drive a global shift toward renewable energy. Recent high-level talks underscore the potential of Sino-EU cooperation in steering the world toward a greener future.
In 2014, just a year before the Paris Agreement adoption, Chinese President Xi Jinping and former U.S. President Barack Obama made a landmark announcement in Beijing, ratifying the treaty on the eve of the G20 Summit in Hangzhou. This unprecedented collaboration signaled a new era of multilateral climate diplomacy.
However, the momentum stalled when the U.S. later withdrew from the deal, prompting calls from world leaders for other major powers to fill the leadership void. Answering that call, French Minister for Ecological Transition Agnes Pannier-Runacher recently visited Beijing. She identified strong alignment on multilateralism and a mutual commitment to the Paris goals, praising China's dynamism and its rapid deployment of renewable technologies.
Data from the International Renewable Energy Agency show that in 2024, 92.5 percent of new global energy capacityâ585 gigawattsâcame from renewables. China alone accounted for 373.6 GW, or about 64 percent of this growth, driven by solar, wind, bioenergy and hydropower projects.
For entrepreneurs and investors in Europe, China's green technology surge offers a roadmap for cooperation. Joint ventures could unlock cutting-edge solutions that accelerate carbon reduction, while knowledge-sharing can help startups and policy-makers scale sustainable practices worldwide.
As the EU and China deepen their climate partnership, they can set a powerful example for the rest of the world: that collaboration and innovation hold the key to a cleaner, more resilient planet. The era of slow progress is endingânow is the time for bold, united action.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
