In the wake of China's announcement that it would reach carbon neutrality by 2060, the Summary Policy Note presents the main findings of the discussions during the United Nations Policy Dialogue "Acting on COVID-posed challenges: Accelerating the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy".

The first section of the note is dedicated to key policy analyses and recommendations  in terms of climate change mitigation, carbon neutrality attainment, and biodiversity preservation made by UN officials, government officials as well as Pr. He Jiankun (Tsinghua University) and Pr. Li Junfeng (National Centre for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation).

The second part of the note follows a 3-pronged approach. Is focuses first on green technology development, one of the powerful engines for global economic recovery and SDGs attainment. It explores key trends and solutions in boosting green technology innovation and international cooperation in China’s energy sector. Second, it concentrates on green finance, which serves as a lifeline for low-carbon transition. The final section is dedicated to biodiversity and nature-based solutions (NBS). COVID-19 has shown how human health is intimately connected with our relationship to nature. As the world seeks to build back better from the current crisis, it is critical to preserve biodiversity and invest in nature-based solutions.

The event was co-organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and held on 12 January 2021. The Dialogue aimed to discuss with Chinese partners how to seize the opportunity provided by COVID-19 to accelerate green development in China and foster worldwide coordinated action.