Top emitters vow new climate action in US-China breakthrough

The US and China, the world’s biggest polluters, vowed to step up joint action to tackle climate change in a revival of collaboration that’s likely to offer crucial momentum for UN talks in Dubai opening later this month.

The US and China, the world’s biggest polluters, vowed to step up joint action to tackle climate change in a revival of collaboration that’s likely to offer crucial momentum for UN talks in Dubai opening later this month.

The United States and China regarding their joint efforts to tackle climate change. Here are some key points:

  1. Collaboration on Climate Change:

    • The United States and China, being the world's largest polluters, have pledged to intensify joint action to address climate change.
    • The collaboration is expected to provide significant momentum for the upcoming United Nations climate talks in Dubai.
  2. Renewable Energy Goals:

    • Both nations have committed to supporting global efforts to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030.
    • There is a focus on accelerating the development of domestic green power to replace coal, oil, and gas.
  3. Greenhouse Gas Emissions:

    • The cooperation extends to limiting emissions of nitrous oxide and methane, which are particularly potent greenhouse gases.
    • Future emissions-cutting pledges under the Paris Agreement will now target all greenhouse gases, moving beyond China's previous focus on carbon dioxide.
  4. Shift in Focus:

    • The joint efforts represent a shift in China's focus from carbon dioxide to a broader spectrum of greenhouse gases.
  5. Bilateral Talks:

    • The renewed collaboration follows months of talks between the U.S. and China, leading up to a meeting between President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
  6. Global Climate Diplomacy:

    • Previous joint declarations on climate issues by the U.S. and China have played a crucial role in facilitating global climate pacts.
  7. Global Temperature Goals:

    • Both nations commit to working towards the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global average temperature growth to "well below two degrees C."
  8. Power Sector Emissions:

    • Expectations for meaningful cuts in power sector emissions before 2030 are highlighted.
  9. Unresolved Issues:

    • Despite the positive steps, some significant issues remain unresolved, such as disputes over the scale and source of climate finance.
    • The phaseout of fossil fuels is also an open question for discussion at the upcoming UN summit.
  10. Resumption of Talks:

    • Major face-to-face talks between the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate Change and his Chinese counterpart resumed after being put on hold for some time.

Overall, the joint efforts between the U.S. and China signal a positive development in international climate cooperation, with potential implications for global climate agreements and actions.