As the year ends and the global community struggles with the COVID-19 pandemic, along with devastating environmental crises, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sits down with CGTN's Liling Tan to discuss how China has spearheaded the fight against climate change and what the future of China-U.S. ties may look like under the Biden administration.

Talking about the threat of climate change facing the world, Guterres pointed out that it is frustrating that only a few countries really respect the commitments made in the Paris Agreement.

"It's the poor people in the poor countries that are paying the high price," said the UN chief, urging countries to take immediate actions to address climate change instead of waiting for the year 2050.

The national commitments under the Paris Agreement set the goal of a carbon neutral world by 2050.

China is essential for the Paris Agreement to be "possible", he stressed, adding that China plays a critical role in the process to defeat climate change. 

Read more:

How will China cut carbon emissions to net zero by 2060

Up Next China: China puts climate at heart of 14th Five-Year Plan

On September 22, in a message to the UN General Assembly, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that the country would strive for carbon neutrality by 2060. This marked the first time, since the Paris Agreement on climate change was reached in 2015, China revealed its ambitious goal with a specific timestamp.

The UN chief expects China to play a lead role in international cooperation and serve as the magnet to attract more developing countries involved in the process, with its programs such as the Belt and Road Initiative.

As for the willingness of the U.S. to rejoin the Paris Agreement, the UN chief said it was encouraging.

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden has said he will reenter the U.S. into the agreement, promising he will bring the U.S. back into the accord as early as February. The move will come after President Donald Trump formally withdrew the country from the agreement on November 4, which was the earliest possible date under its terms.

Guterres hoped that China and the United States can work together with other countries or international organizations like the G20, in making joint efforts to "rescue the planet", emphasizing that global solidarity is essential in the implementation of the climate agreement.

(Cover: File photo of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. /Reuters)