For the past 30 years, China has pursued its goal of economic development at high speed, growing an average of about 10 percent per year. Roughly 500 million people were lifted out of poverty during this time, and China is now the world's second-largest economy.

These are remarkable achievements for any country, let alone one the size of China. However, the strains of such rapid growth have become increasingly clear, such as environmental degradation and its impact on people's health. The country's leadership is now appropriately reflecting how best to improve the quality of life for Chinese citizens.

To meet these aspirations, one of the greatest challenges in our lifetime for China - and the world - is tackling the effects of climate change. We do not need to look far to find tragic reminders that climate change is a real and present threat which can set back years of development progress.