The 30th UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) opened this week in Belém, Brazil, with global leaders emphasizing integrated approaches to environmental challenges. WWF International Director General Kirsten Schuijt highlighted China’s pivotal role in bridging nature conservation and climate action during an exclusive interview with CGTN ahead of the summit.
Schuijt stressed the inseparable link between biodiversity protection and climate mitigation, praising China’s "two mountains" concept as a blueprint for sustainable development. "The world can be inspired by China’s work in protected areas and species recovery," she said, citing successful panda population rehabilitation and marine conservation efforts.
China’s recently submitted 2035 Nationally Determined Contributions demonstrate strengthened climate commitments, coinciding with a global shift toward renewable energy. As the architect of the 2022 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, China continues advancing the "30 by 30" conservation target while supporting developing nations through the Global Biodiversity Fund.
With renewables surpassing coal usage worldwide for the first time this year, Schuijt emphasized China’s critical role in maintaining this momentum through technological innovation and cross-border collaboration.
