EU-China Environment Policy Dialogue discusses biodiversity, plastic and chemical pollution, and multilateral cooperation ahead of key international meetings
Yesterday, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience, and a Competitive Circular Economy Jessika Roswall hosted the 11th EU-China Environment Policy Dialogue. Minister for Ecology and Environment of China, Huang Runqiu co-chaired the dialogue. The high-level meeting is an occasion for both parties to reaffirm their commitment to close cooperation on environmental matters, ahead of COP17 on biodiversity in Armenia, UNCCD COP17 in Mongolia, UN Water Conference and the resumption of work on the Global Plastics Treaty.
During the dialogue, both parties acknowledged the need to accelerate global efforts to implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the need to advance on key priorities, such as the Cali Fund for sharing the benefits of Digital Sequence Information. They also recognised the importance of ongoing work on nature credits to unlock private biodiversity financing.
Both parties also exchanged on the need for a Global Plastic Treaty. They reaffirmed their joint commitment to deepen exchanges, both at political and technical levels, and to make positive joint contributions to develop an international binding instrument to end rising global plastic pollution.
Commissioner Roswall and Minister Huang also stressed the importance of finding solutions to chemical pollution and discussed approaches for prevention and control, notably regarding per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, known as ‘forever chemicals’), which represents a global challenge.
This high-level meeting was an opportunity to discuss environmental multilateralism and the importance for the two partners to coordinate ahead of key multilateral processes. Another meeting is already planned for 2026 with the 7th High Level Environment and Climate Dialogue to be co-chaired by Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, Teresa Ribera, and Vice Premier of China, Ding Xuexiang.
Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, Jessika Roswall, said: “In the current geopolitical context, effective diplomacy is more important than ever. The EU and China must continue to work together to finalise the negotiations on a global treaty to end plastic pollution, to implement our shared commitments on biodiversity, and strengthen environmental multilateralism.”
