On 30 September 2020, Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed the United Nations Biodiversity Summit, noting that biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation pose a major risk to human survival and development, and “we all need to respect nature, follow its laws and protect it.”

President Xi also shared China's experience of advancing biodiversity governance and ecological progress."China has always prioritized ecological progress and embedded it in every dimension and phase of its economic and social development," said President Xi, adding that the country has rolled out strong policies and actions for preserving biodiversity and protecting ecosystems. Further, he noted that for the last 10 years, China had the world’s fastest growing forest cover, with more than 70 million hectares of land afforested.

Pledging that China will adopt even more forceful policies and measures on environmental protection, President Xi reaffirmed the country's goal to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.

Before concluding his address, President Xi extended invitations to the 15thmeetingof the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, scheduled to be hosted by China in the city of Kunming in 2021.

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