On the occasion of the EU-China Summit bringing Chinese and European leaders to Nanjing, the EU Exhibition on Climate Change will be officially inaugurated by Benita Ferrero-Waldner, EU Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy at Nanjing Library on Monday 30th November. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, the President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso, and Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, representing the current EU Presidency, will be in Nanjing for the Summit.

Benita Ferrero-Waldner will open the exhibition at the Nanjing Library, No. 189, Zhongshan East Road, Nanjing, at 13:30 pm on Monday 30th November.

Background 
 
The EU Exhibition on Climate Change is part of a campaign to help support the raising of awareness about climate change in China, one of the aims of the Chinese National Climate Change Programme (of 2007) and of the EU-China Climate Change Partnership (established in 2005).

It was first launched by European Commission President, Mr Jose Manuel Barroso on April 25th 2008, at the headquarters of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the China-EU Association. Following the opening, the exhibition moved to IKEA's Beijing outlet where it was open to the general public. Thereafter the exhibition began its tour of China, travelling to Shenyang, Jinlin City, Changchun, Shanghai, Nanning, Guangzhou and Chongqing, informing people about climate change, helping them to understand better the issues and allowing them to make informed decisions about how they can do their bit to help mitigate the effects of climate change.

The exhibition explains the facts of climate change, the challenges we all face in tackling it, and the approaches that the European Union and China are taking together to meet this challenge. It also provides information on the cooperation between the EU and China under the EU-China Climate Change Partnership.

"Climate change is arguably the gravest long-term threat facing the world today. The scientific evidence is compelling that global warming is accelerating and will reach dangerous - perhaps devastating - levels during the course of this century if we carry on with business as usual. This challenge demands nothing less than an urgent and determined global response," said President Barroso.

The European Union is determined to lead the effort in tackling climate change. EU countries have already taken on ambitious emissions reduction targets and will go further if global partners also get on board. China can also make a huge difference. China is the most populous country in the world. Many people stress this as a cause for concern. However, President Barroso believes that the large Chinese population is actually a potential force for good. Action in China could make all the difference to the entire world.

Over the past few years, climate change has become a common topic of discussion in the media, households and workplaces. The aim of this exhibition, which is funded by the European Commission, is to provide information for Chinese citizens. It seeks to demonstrate how the issue of climate change can affect us all and that all countries and citizens need to work together to address it.

In only a couple of weeks there will be a crucial meeting in Copenhagen where world leaders need to agree on a new treaty that will decide how to tackle climate change on a global level during the next decade and beyond. The agreement needs to be ambitious, effective and fair. The European Union and China are currently two of the strongest supporters of such an agreement.

After 19 months travelling around China, the EU-China Summit city of Nanjing will be the final stop of the EU Exhibition on Climate Change. In Nanjing the exhibition will be on display until Sunday 6th December.