你遠在都柏林，我身在香港，但我們也可以試試手拖手將自己傳送到另一個地方：雲南的西南面有一個地方叫做昆明 - 2021年5月將會成為聯合國生物多樣性峰會的主辦城市。這個會議旨在制定一套目標，讓大自然及人類社會可以繼續有效和有意義地並存。是的，我為此感到很興奮。事實上我很希望明年5月我可以親身去到昆明，因為在這個挽救大自然最關鍵的年頭，中國選擇主辦這個全球性的會議，世界各國將要在下年商討保護大自然的新協議。大家都知道，這個協議對應對氣候變化和將來可能會發生的流行病疫情至關重要，因此 The Elders 十分期望中國在生物多樣性峰會上發揮主導的角色，要在昆明取得好的成果，就需要作出外交上的投資。我記得當年法國為了促成《巴黎氣候協議》，他們的投資不僅限於國內，而是在全世界。他們認識到這個會議的重要性，因此願意採取行動爭取好的效果，事實上我已經是大自然行動 (The Campaign for Nature) 的督導委員會成員。大自然行動正極力在2030年前保護30%的陸地和30%的海洋，以中國廣大的土地、廣闊的海岸線，可以對實現這個30:30 目標起到很大的作用。然而應該如何執行、經濟上應該如何配套去促成這個目標，可能是同樣甚至更加重要，這方面亦需要領導力。因此我很樂意看到中國在全球協商目標的議題上發揮帶頭作用，在執行及經濟配套的協商方面亦然。我認為這是向前踏出的一大步，希望明年當各國或多或少步出疫情的影響之後，大家可以真正去處理我們必須要處理的問題，回歸到與大自然和諧共處的狀態。The Elders 是一股支持和平和公義的非凡力量，它堅信中國可以在自然及氣候兩大議題上發揮作用。在這個艱難時期團結各個國家，舒緩籠罩著所有人的地緣政治的緊張氣氛。在這個我認為民粹主義和內向化的思維，正在抬頭的世界倡議多邊主義 。最後你有沒有甚麼話想寄語中國和中國的人民？我們希望見到中國積極帶頭，與世界各地的伙伴合作，確保可以達成有宏大遠見的商議結果，從而提升中國在保護大自然方面的國際領導地位，對中國人民帶來好處，也對中國對全球的影響力帶來好處。所以中國要以身作則，中止對國內和國外的煤炭發電投資，展示中國對全球的抱負，將排放量由今年的高位拉平，逐步在2030年之前帶來顯著的減幅，團結世界各國。我確實認為如果明年5月昆明的生物多樣性峰會取得成功，為後世守護大自然，得益的不僅是中國人民，還可以惠及所有覺得我們沒有承擔責任的年輕氣候鬥士。我們需要能夠迅速扭轉局面的領導力，中國可以幫助我們。

Part 3 – Paris Agreement: By All and For All 

In honor of the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement to fight climate change, The China Current presents a special, three-part conversation with Mary Robinson, Chair of The Elders.  I’m James Chau and I speak with the former President of Ireland and former UN Human Rights Commissioner about the climate justice she envisions for us all, and the global solutions to a global problem. We live in a time when priorities are rapidly shifting. But, with or without COVID-19, our planet needs saving now.  

You're over in Dublin, I'm in Hong Kong, but perhaps hand-in-hand, we can transport ourselves to another place.  Kunming, in the southwest province of Yunnan, which is scheduled to host in May 2021 the UN Biodiversity Conference that seeks to create a set of targets, by which nature and society can live effectively and meaningfully side by side.  

Yes, I'm very excited about this, and I'm actually hoping that I can get to Kunming in May of next year.  Because it's good that China has chosen to host the global talks to save nature in a critical year, a year when the world was due to agree the new global deal to protect nature, something that's vital for fighting climate change and also future pandemics, as we know.  And so, the Elders really want to see a hands-on Chinese presidency of the Convention on Biological Diversity.  A good outcome at Kunming will require the kind of diplomatic investment.  I remember when France had the Paris Climate Agreement, they really invested not just in France, but all over the world, in saying this is a very, very important conference, step up and have a good outcome.  I've actually become part of a high-level steering committee on something called the Campaign For Nature.  And the Campaign For Nature is seeking to protect 30% of the world's lands and 30% of the oceans by 2030.  Now, with its huge landmass, and its huge access to ocean, China could play a very significant role in that it's the 30-30 goal.  But just as important, if not more so, of the means of implementation and the finance package to achieve that.  This again would need leadership. So, I'd love to see China lead on the global agreement on targets, but also on implementation and finance to implement.  And I think it would be a great step forward in this, hopefully for all countries post-COVID or more or less post-COVID next year, that we can in fact do what we absolutely need to do. And that is get back into harmony with nature. 

The Elders is this extraordinary movement for peace and justice, and it believes very much that nature and climate are the two areas in which China can help bring together countries in a very troubled time for all of us.  And also, to smooth out the geopolitical tensions that I think all of us are feeling mentally especially, and also to champion multilateralism in a world of what I think seems to be increasing populism and inward thinking.  Are there any last words that you would have not only for China, but especially for the Chinese people? 

So, we want to see China leading from the front, working with partners around the world to ensure ambitious outcomes that advance China's global leadership in protecting nature.  But also doing it in a way that is good for the Chinese people and good for the influence China can bring over the rest of the world.  So, leading by example, stopping domestic and foreign coal power investment, showing global ambition, peaking emissions this year in a flatter way and then a significant decline by 2030… and rallying the world. I do think a successful Biodiversity COP in Kunming in May next year, that secures nature for future generations would be wonderful for not just the Chinese people, but all these young climate activists who are seeing that we're not taking our responsibilities.  We need the leadership that will turn us around and do it in rapid time. That China can help us. 

Join us on The China Current for this three-part video with Mary Robinson on realizing the inspiration impact, consigning fossil fuels to history, and ensuring that the commitments made under the Paris Agreement are achieved by all, for all.  You can also hear the whole conversation on The China Current on your preferred podcast provider. I’m James Chau, thank you.