The Forum on Climate Change and Science & Technology Innovation was jointly hosted by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP), the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on April 24-25, 2008, in Beijing. The theme of the Forum is to address climate change through science and technology innovation.

More than 600 participants from about 30 countries and 10 international organizations attended the Forum,including senior state officials, prestigious experts, and representatives of enterprises and non-governmental organizations. Extensive discussions were held in sessions on science of climate change, strategy and policies of mitigating climate change, impacts of and adaptation to climate change, key technologies and international scientific and technological cooperation, and finance and market mechanism.

The Forum, based on the presentation and discussion,

1. Agreed that climate change presents one of the greatest challenges to global sustainable development, and that it demands an urgent global response；

2. Emphasized that science and technology plays an essential role in both assessing and addressing the risk of climate change. Addressing climate change through s&t advancement and innovation is the inevitable choice. In the future, science and technology innovation shall play a central role in addressing climate change. The significance of issues concerning technology development and transfer in the processes of the UNFCCC, was also recognized for the essential progress on the Convention and Bali Action Plan. 

3. Recognized that great importance shall, inter alia, be attached to the following aspects that are critical to address climate change:

(a)   Enhanced observational studies and modeling research on the prediction of climate change, and better understanding of the causes, trends and impacts of climate change; and improved global and regional projections of future climate change;

(b)  Strengthened low carbon technologies innovation in terms of energy efficiency and conservation, clean energy, renewable energy, advanced nuclear energy, clean vehicles, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and enhanced action on mitigation of climate change through science and technology innovation;

(c)  Enhanced development and deployment of technology on adaptation in the fields of agriculture, water resources, forestry, coastal zone management, infrastructure, and public health, and enhanced action on adaptation to climate change through science and technology innovation;

(d) Enhanced diffusion and deployment of scientific and technological achievements, enhanced public awareness of responses to climate change, and enhanced global response through science and technology innovation;

(e)  Strengthened capacity-building of institutions and individuals, strengthened research on climate friendly policies and the future climate change regime, and enhanced the capability of climate change policy decision-making by governments.

4.   Recognized that it is critical to explore the full functions of governments in technology transfer, to establish an effective international regime for technology transfer, and to transfer environmentally sound technologies to developing countries at favorable terms. Some valuable proposals and options were presented to the Forum for discussion, among them is China’s proposal ‘an Initiative on Technology Development and Transfer’；

5. Called on international community to further strengthen international cooperation to promote the sharing and diffusion of scientific and technological achievements in response to climate change;

6. Welcomed the efforts of China to address climate change as part of its sustainable development strategy.

7. Welcomed the measures and achievements in ‘Green Olympics, High-tech Olympics and Cultural Olympics’ of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, and the action plan concerning the Olympics and carbon offset.