Huang Runqiu, president of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, delivers a speech at the first side event of the China Pavilion of the second phase of COP15 in Montreal, Canada, Dec 7, 2022. (LIAN YI / XINHUA)

MONTREAL – The president of the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity has said China and Canada will cooperate to ensure the success of the second phase of the conference.

Huang Runqiu made the remarks on Thursday at the third China-Quebec Cooperation Forum, which was held under the theme of "Biodiversity Conservation: Locals in Action”.

As the presidency and host of the second phase of COP15, respectively, China and Canada will cooperate to promote the successful conclusion of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, said Huang, who is also China's ecology and environment minister.

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Noting that Canada is a major initiator and sponsor for the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development, Huang said he expects that the two countries can carry out joint policy research under this platform, on global environmental governance innovation, national green governance, sustainable production and consumption, and low-carbon inclusive transformation.

Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, executive secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, hailed the forum as a "new starting point" for the cooperation between Beijing and Quebec.

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She urged everyone to join in the efforts to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity.

Initiated in 2019, the China-Quebec Cooperation Forum aims to promote cooperation and exchanges between China and Quebec.