The US and China have committed to work together to combat climate change despite rising tensions between the two powers, boosting chances of global deal on emissions at a UN summit this summer. John Kerry and Xie Zhenhua, the climate envoys for the world’s two biggest economies, have vowed to co-operate “to tackle the climate crisis”, making a commitment to “concrete actions in the 2020s” to reduce emissions in line with the aims of the 2015 Paris climate accord.
“Both countries recall their historic contribution to the development, adoption, signature, and entry into force of the Paris Agreement through their leadership and collaboration,” they said in a joint statement. The pledge, which follows two days of high-stakes meetings in Shanghai, is a signal that climate change could be a rare area of collaboration in a strained relationship. Washington has been highly critical of Beijing’s assertive policies on Taiwan and the South China Sea and over its approach to human rights in Hong Kong and Xinjiang.
“I think this is the first time, China has joined in saying it’s a crisis,” said Kerry, speaking to reporters in Seoul on Sunday. “The language is very strong . . . you can see we agreed on critical elements of where we have to go.” US President Joe Biden’s climate policy has already departed sharply from that of his predecessor Donald Trump’s administration, bringing the US back into the Paris accord ahead of setting a new climate target for 2030.
Under the Paris deal, countries committed to limiting global warming to “well below” 2C, preferably about 1.5C, compared with pre-industrial levels.