Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Energy, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, met today in Riyadh with Liu Zhenmin, China’s Special Envoy for Climate Change, to deepen international climate cooperation. The meeting, also attended by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Cabinet Member, and Climate Envoy Adel Al-Jubeir, focused on enhancing bilateral collaboration between the Kingdom and China in addressing global climate challenges.
The high-level dialogue underscored the strategic importance both nations place on climate action, not only as a domestic policy priority but also as a cornerstone of their respective international engagements. Discussions centered on joint efforts to strengthen climate-related cooperation across policy, technology, and innovation — especially in the lead-up to the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, scheduled to be held in Brazil in 2025.
The two sides expressed a shared commitment to advancing constructive dialogue and multilateral cooperation, emphasizing the need for a united global response to climate change. In particular, they highlighted the importance of joint planning and strategic alignment ahead of COP30 to ensure meaningful outcomes for all participating countries.
Both Prince Abdulaziz and Envoy Liu Zhenmin affirmed their countries’ intention to play a leadership role in shaping the global climate agenda. They stressed that collaboration among major economies is critical in driving forward solutions for emissions reduction, sustainable development, and clean energy transitions.
A key component of the discussions involved a review of national and regional initiatives that serve as blueprints for climate action. The Saudi delegation presented updates on the Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative, two landmark programs launched by the Kingdom aimed at enhancing environmental protection, increasing reliance on renewable energy, and combating desertification across the region.
The Saudi Green Initiative, in particular, aims to plant 10 billion trees across the Kingdom and significantly reduce carbon emissions through the adoption of renewable energy and carbon capture technologies. The Middle East Green Initiative, meanwhile, seeks to establish a framework for regional cooperation to combat climate degradation and promote sustainable development across the Arab world.
Envoy Liu shared details on China’s climate strategy, including its goal to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and reach carbon neutrality by 2060. He noted China’s progress in expanding renewable energy capacity, promoting electric mobility, and investing in low-emission and climate-resilient technologies.
The meeting also explored avenues for enhanced cooperation in the development and deployment of clean energy technologies, including hydrogen, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and energy efficiency solutions. Both parties acknowledged that innovation would play a critical role in achieving global climate goals and expressed a willingness to establish joint research and development platforms, share best practices, and foster knowledge exchange between institutions in both countries.
Discussions also touched on potential partnerships in green finance, circular carbon economy models, and nature-based solutions as pathways to achieving long-term climate resilience and sustainability.
This meeting reflects the broader commitment of both Saudi Arabia and China to act as responsible stakeholders in global climate governance. It comes at a time when international momentum around climate action is increasing, with growing recognition of the need for coordinated, science-based policies and inclusive participation from all nations.
As the world prepares for COP30, today’s engagement signals that Riyadh and Beijing are keen to move beyond rhetoric and toward practical, scalable cooperation that aligns with the goals of the Paris Agreement and the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
The two countries concluded the meeting with a pledge to continue their dialogue and explore further opportunities for collaboration across climate-related sectors. Future bilateral meetings and technical exchanges are expected in the months leading up to COP30.
