China considers hosting the 2028 UN Climate Conference as Beijing weighs whether to put forward a bid for COP33, the United Nations climate summit scheduled for 2028. China has not made a final decision, and there is currently no fixed deadline for choosing the host. The 2028 meeting is due to rotate to the Asia-Pacific region, following COP31 in Turkey in 2026 and COP32 in Ethiopia in 2027. China’s potential bid would put the world’s largest greenhouse-gas emitter and leading exporter of clean-energy technologies at the centre of global climate negotiations.

China Has Yet to Make a Final Decision

Two sources familiar with the matter said Beijing is considering the proposal but has not committed to hosting COP33. The host country does not need to be selected this year, meaning discussions could continue within the Asia-Pacific regional group before an official nomination is made.

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) secretariat said it has not yet received a nomination from the Asia-Pacific group.

Under the UN climate process, regional groups first consult internally before selecting a country to represent the region. Once an agreement is reached, the group’s chair formally submits the nomination to the UNFCCC secretariat.

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Why China Could Want the Summit

Hosting COP33 could give China an opportunity to strengthen its international climate credentials at a time when the United States has stepped back from global climate cooperation under President Donald Trump.

• The US has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement twice, while the Trump administration has pursued policies aimed at expanding fossil-fuel production.
• Against that backdrop, China could use a successful COP presidency to position itself as an important force in international climate diplomacy.

China also has a significant economic stake in the global clean-energy transition.

• It is the world’s leading exporter of solar panels, electric vehicles, wind turbines and batteries, industries that are increasingly central to efforts to reduce emissions.

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The Climate Record Creates a Complicated Picture

A Chinese-hosted COP would nevertheless put the country’s own emissions profile under intense scrutiny.

China is the world’s largest greenhouse-gas emitter, with its huge population and manufacturing base contributing substantially to global emissions. The United States, India and the European Union follow China among the world’s largest emitters.

Beijing has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, but its current target calls for a 7-10% reduction in economy-wide greenhouse-gas emissions by 2035 compared with peak levels.

That combination of major investment in clean technologies alongside enormous overall emissions would make China a particularly significant host for negotiations over the next phase of global climate action.

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US-China Relations Could Shape COP33

Another consideration is the future relationship between China and the United States.

Climate cooperation between the two countries played an important role during the administrations of Barack Obama and Joe Biden. A COP33 hosted by China could provide an opportunity for renewed cooperation if a Democratic president is elected in the 2028 US election, which would take place shortly before the summit.

But the relationship could also create tension. Alden Meyer of climate think tank E3G told AFP that US-China relations have produced both progress and friction throughout the history of international climate negotiations.

For now, however, there is no confirmation on whether China considers hosting the 2028 UN Climate Conference. The Asia-Pacific regional group still needs to complete its consultations before any formal nomination reaches the UNFCCC. If Beijing ultimately decides to host, COP33 would give China an unusually prominent platform to demonstrate its climate ambitions while facing questions over the scale and speed of its domestic emissions reductions.

Original report by Bloomberg and AFP.

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