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The United States and China have pledged to work together to urgently combat climate change despite rising tensions over Beijing’s assertive policies on Taiwan and the South China Sea and human rights in Hong Kong and Xinjiang. .
John Kerry and Xie Zhenhua, climate envoys for the world’s two largest economies, have vowed to cooperate “to address the climate crisis,” pledging “concrete actions during the 2020s” to reduce emissions. in line with the objectives of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.
“Both countries recall their historic contribution to the development, adoption, signing and entry into force of the Paris Agreement through their leadership and collaboration,” they said in a joint statement.
The promise, which follows two days of high-stakes meetings in Shanghai, is a sign that climate change could be a rare area of collaboration. strained relationship.
U.S. President Joe Biden’s climate policy has already done so he left abruptly since the administration of his predecessor Donald Trump, returning the US to the Paris agreement before setting a new climate target for 2030.
However, addressing the meetings between Kerry and Xie in Shanghai, environmentalists said an agreement between the United States and China on climate change was far from guaranteed.
Li Shuo, Greenpeace’s energy policy officer in Beijing, said the US-China statement followed “difficult talks” and came “amid major geopolitical challenges.” But it should dramatically increase the momentum of global climate action.
“It’s very important for the rest of the world to understand that at least on the issue of climate change the G2 is coming back together,” Li said.
He added: “We all know what can happen when these countries are aligned on this particular issue because we all saw it in preparation for the Paris climate summit.”
Kerry’s trip to China was brought forward to this week’s US summit, which has been presented as a showcase of Biden’s new climate policies and as Beijing. ways to be seen as a leader in the global climate negotiations.
In the statement, the countries pledged to cooperate in multilateral processes. This includes the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Paris agreement and the COP26 climate change conference to be held in Glasgow in November.
“The United States and China will continue to discuss, both on the road to COP 26 and beyond, concrete actions during the 2020s to reduce emissions aimed at keeping the temperature limit in line with the Paris Agreement, “Kerry and Xie said.
Edgare Kerkwijk, a board member of the Asian Wind Energy Association, said that while the US-China statement “only provides a high-level commitment” and has no details, the joint promises will speed up the global transition from fossil fuels.
“The likelihood that we will reach a broader climate agreement during the next climate conference in Glasgow has grown significantly,” Kerkwijk said, adding, “It will be more difficult for smaller economies not to join the energy transition process. “.
The meetings took place in the context of the intense clashes between Washington and Beijing, as the Joe Biden administration maintains a tough stance towards China.
The US opposes Beijing’s actions reduce Hong Kong’s autonomy i human rights abuses against the Uighurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang.
It has also maintained pressure technology companies with alleged links to the Chinese military.
A la last , China’s embassy in the U.S. capital on Saturday criticized comments by Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Biden against escalation of military activity near Taiwan and in the South China Sea.
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