Interview: GEF CEO hails China's role in global environment cooperation

BEIJING, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- China's achievements on protecting biodiversity and addressing environmental challenges are obvious to all, and it has set a fine example in promoting global cooperation on biodiversity conservation, said Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, CEO of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), on Thursday.

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua in Beijing, Rodriguez said the GEF looks forward to strengthening cooperation with China on biodiversity conservation and other issues, to help enhance the sustainability of development in more countries and improve people's well-being.

Impressed by China's efforts on ecological conservation over the past decade and more, as demonstrated by cleaner air, bluer sky and wider use of renewable energy, Rodriguez hailed China's rapid progress, adding that political leadership, scientific research, community-based protection and international cooperation are key to ecological conservation.

"The successful experience in China and also in other countries brings us hope that protecting the natural environment and improving the welfare of local people can achieve win-win results," he said.

The GEF, established in 1991, is one of the world's most influential funders of environmental projects. China has continued to increase its contributions to the GEF and has become the largest contributor among the developing countries.

"While protecting its own ecology, China has also done what it can to help other countries cope with environmental challenges, demonstrating its firm support for multilateralism," said the GEF CEO.

At the second phase of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity held last December, the highly-anticipated Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was adopted. Rodriguez spoke highly of China's leadership role during the process.

He said that the GEF hopes to strengthen its cooperation with China, to make sure the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund agreed at the Global Environment Facility's seventh assembly and the Kunming Biodiversity Fund launched by China can better complement each other, to help ensure the full and effective implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

"Amid the complex international situation, only by strengthening coordination can all parties address a series of global challenges such as climate change," said Rodriguez.

He added that the GEF is ready to continue deepening cooperation with China in various areas, to help the replication and promotion of ecological protection and other relevant experience in more developing countries, so as to advance South-South cooperation and global environmental governance.