Climate change: Small but important steps
Climate, according to a joint statement, the US and China have agreed on steps to combat climate change but have not committed to phase out fossil fuels. The largest carbon emitters globally will increase methane cooperation and back international initiatives aimed at tripling renewable energy by 2030. However, the usage of coal and the prospects for fossil fuels are not discussed in the text. It was seen by observers as a promising omen prior to a UN climate meeting.
As the presidents of the two nations get ready for their meeting in California, they release a joint statement, with climate change being one of the few possible areas of advancement. US officials have been attempting to resolve the situation with China for more than a year now, since Beijing had halted climate negotiations following US Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. In support of these efforts, US climate envoy John Kerry and Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua convened last week for three days of discussions that resulted in this consensus.
Both nations reiterated their commitment to tripling the amount of renewable energy produced globally this decade, as previously decided upon at the G20 summit held in India this year. By 2030, “meaningful absolute power sector emission reductions” would occur, according to both statements. However, the text makes no mention of cutting back on the use of coal, nor does it address stopping the use of fossil fuels—a topic that the president of the UN climate conference, or COP28, has stated is a major priority for the gathering.
China specialist and prominent Chatham House Fellow Bernice Lee stated, “It’s small but important steps on climate change.” But given that they both have limitations, the advance on fossil fuels wasn’t what I had anticipated, she told BBC News. My hunch is that finding a language that is suitable for both has proven to be too challenging. However, I believe it’s wonderful that their statement is centred on the points of agreement, which include methane and renewable energy sources, of course.”
The world views this focus on methane as critical since the gas has a very strong short-term warming effect. China was not one of the signatories to the Global Methane Pledge, which was made at the COP26 in Glasgow and called for a 30% reduction in methane emissions by 2030. The second-biggest economy in the world does not officially list methane as a warming gas in its reports to the UN. But in their next phase of national climate plans, the two nations will now incorporate methane as well as all other greenhouse emissions, according to the statement.
According to David Waskow of the World Resources Institute, “this announcement is a major step because China is the world’s largest methane emitter and serious actions to curb this gas are essential for slowing global warming in the near-term.” At COP28, the two nations have also announced that they would jointly convene a meeting on methane and non-CO2 gases. The declaration will undoubtedly improve the spirits of delegates getting ready for COP28, which begins on November 30 in Dubai. Expectations for major progress at the conference have been dampened amid scientific predictions that 2023 would be the hottest year on record and political rifts over Gaza, Ukraine, and several other concerns.
Others will undoubtedly be impacted by the realisation that even the significant differences between the US and China can be resolved for the sake of the environment. “While the two of them can’t deliver everything, the US and China coming together to find a way to try and co-operate makes it harder for other countries to hide behind superpower rivalries,” Bernice Lee said. It undoubtedly creates a more favourable climate than the previous one for COP28.”