The US and China agree to work together on climate change after talks in Shanghai

In a joint statement released on Sunday, Washington and Beijing said the climate crisis “must be addressed with seriousness and urgency” and agreed to work together to “strengthen” implementation of the Paris Agreement.

“The United States and China will continue to discuss, both on the way to COP 26 and beyond, concrete measures to reduce emissions in the 2020s, aimed at keeping the temperature limit agreed in the Paris Agreement within reach,” said the explanation.

The announcement followed two days of talks between US Presidential Special Envoy for Climate John Kerry and China’s Special Envoy for Climate Change Xie Zhenhua in Shanghai on Thursday and Friday.

US President Joe Biden, who has taken a stronger stance on dealing with climate change than his predecessor Donald Trump, hopes the US will be able to work with Beijing to tackle carbon emissions while maintaining a firm stance on issues of trade, technology and people. rights.
China is the world’s largest emitter of CO2, making the participation of the Chinese government an essential part of any successful plan to tackle the climate crisis.

In a statement Sunday, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment said the talks between Kerry and Xie had been “candid, profound and constructive”.

“Both sides recognize that climate change poses a serious and urgent threat to the survival and development of humanity,” the ministry said, adding that China and the US “will strengthen cooperation and work with other parties to address the climate crisis. to deal with”.

The ministry also said the two countries “will further strengthen exchanges and cooperation in areas such as strengthening policies, promoting green and low-carbon transitions, and supporting the energy and low-carbon development of developing countries.”

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