Joint Declaration on Canada-China Clean Technology Cooperation

Backgrounder

The Department of Natural Resources of Canada, The Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development of Canada and the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China, hereinafter referred to as the “Participants”,

Noting that the Agreement for Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the Government of Canada and the Government of the People's Republic of China, done at Beijing on 16 January 2007 serves as an important tool to deepen our bilateral relationship;

Considering the Canada-China Economic Complementarities Study was released on 15 August 2012 and identified clean technology as a key area for potential cooperation;

Noting that both Canada and China have joined the Mission Innovation initiative announced at the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 21) on Climate Change in 2015 under which each participating country aims to double its governmental and/or state-directed clean energy research and development investment over five years; and

Considering that there exists an opportunity to advance Canada-China cooperation in clean technology based on the principles of mutual benefit and common interest;

Have declared as follows:

  1. The Participants intend to focus on the following objectives:

• Developing innovative solutions to common challenges in a synergistic way, including collaborating bilaterally under the Mission Innovation initiative, or under other multi-lateral collaborative mechanisms;
• Sharing experiences and best practices in defining, implementing and assessing a broad-based policy approach to clean technology, and on specific issues that bring about clean technology innovation;
• Addressing major economic and social challenges through clean technology and its adoption as a platform technology across the economy by focusing and strengthening cooperation on challenges of common interest (e.g. low carbon development, energy efficiency, renewable energy, bioenergy, carbon dioxide capture, use and storage, smart cities, smart grid, energy storage, green and intelligent transport, water, waste treatment, soil remediation, and sustainable wood construction technology);
• Exploring the possibility of establishing clean technology demonstrations; and
• Facilitating collaboration between small and medium-sized enterprises (SME).

2. The clean technology collaboration will be carried out utilizing resources made available by the Participants, following modalities to be jointly defined and in accordance with the relevant procedures of both sides.

3. This Declaration does not create any legal rights or obligations under international law between the Participants.

Signed in triplicate in Ottawa on this day of February 2016, in English, French and Chinese languages, each version being equally valid.

Hon. James Gordon Carr Natural Resources Canada Nature and Environment