China seeks coal concessions and tech transfers at COP31 talks

China will walk into the COP31 climate talks in Turkey with a list of priorities that could shape the summit’s final agreement on emissions cuts and finance. Beijing is expected to press for language that protects its right to keep using coal for a few more years, while also demanding stronger support for developing‑country adaptation and loss‑and‑damage funding.

The stakes are high because China is the world’s largest emitter, responsible for roughly 28 percent of global carbon dioxide output. In 2023 the country pledged to peak emissions before 2030 and reach net‑zero by 2060, but it has not yet set a clear timetable for ending new coal projects. The summit follows the latest UN review of climate finance, which left many developing nations still waiting for promised dollars. Hosting the talks in Turkey adds political pressure, as the country seeks to showcase its own climate ambitions while balancing ties to both the West and China.

Experts say China will focus on three main demands. First, it will argue for “common but differentiated responsibilities,” a principle that lets it keep a larger share of fossil‑fuel use compared with richer nations. Second, it will ask for a larger pool of loss‑and‑damage payments, citing the growing toll of floods, heatwaves and sea‑level rise on its vulnerable regions. Third, it will seek guaranteed technology transfer and capacity‑building assistance to help it transition to renewables without hurting its economy. In return, Beijing has pledged about $120 billion in climate finance for the Global South, a figure that many argue is still too low. The United States and the European Union have warned that any weakening of the text could jeopardise the credibility of the Paris Agreement, while NGOs are calling for a firm phase‑out of unabated coal.

The negotiations will likely be tense, and the outcome will set the tone for climate action through 2030. If China secures the concessions it wants, the final COP31 text may contain weaker emissions targets but stronger finance provisions for developing countries. Observers say the next step will be to watch how the agreed language is implemented, because the real test of the summit will be whether the world can keep warming below 1.5 °C while delivering the money and technology that vulnerable nations need.