SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – The United States and China, the world’s two largest carbon emitters, agree to work with other countries to curb climate change just days before President Joe Biden hosts a virtual summit of world leaders to discuss the matter.
The deal was reached last week by US special envoy on climate John Kerry and his Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua during two days of talks in Shanghai, the State Department said in a statement on Saturday.
“The United States and China are committed to working with each other and with other countries to address the climate crisis, which must be addressed with the seriousness and urgency it demands,” the joint statement said.
China and the United States are the world’s largest carbon emitters, pumping out nearly half of the fossil fuel fumes that heat the planet’s atmosphere. Their cooperation is key to the success of global efforts to curb climate change, but China’s frayed human rights, trade and territorial claims to Taiwan and the South China Sea threaten to undermine such efforts.
Kerry’s trip to Shanghai marked the highest trip to China by a US official since Biden took office in January. The former secretary of state flew to South Korea for talks from Shanghai.
Biden has invited 40 world leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, to the April 22-23 summit. The US and other countries are expected to announce more ambitious national targets for cutting carbon emissions before or during the meeting, and to pledge financial aid for climate efforts by less prosperous countries.
It is unclear how much Kerry’s visit to China would promote US-China cooperation on climate issues.
While Kerry was still in Shanghai, Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Le Yucheng said on Friday that it is unlikely that China will make any new pledges at next week’s summit.
“For a large country with a population of 1.4 billion, these goals are not easily met,” Le said during an interview with The Associated Press in Beijing. “Some countries are asking China to achieve the targets earlier. I’m afraid this isn’t very realistic. “
As to whether Xi would participate in the summit, Le said that “the Chinese side is actively studying the issue.”
During a video meeting with German and French leaders on Friday, Xi also said climate change should “not become a geopolitical chip, a target for attacking other countries or an excuse for trade barriers,” although he called for closer cooperation in this area, according to the report. official Xinhua News Agency.
Biden, who has said that fighting global warming is one of his highest priorities, allowed the United States to rejoin the Paris climate agreement in the early hours of his presidency, thus marking the withdrawal of the US on the orders of predecessor. Donald Trump undone.
Major greenhouse gas emitters prepare for the next UN climate summit in Glasgow, UK, in November. The summit aims to resume global efforts to raise the Earth’s temperature below 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit), as agreed in the Paris Agreement.
According to the US-China statement, the two countries would “strengthen their respective actions and cooperation in multilateral processes, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement.”
It said both countries “are committed to working together and with other parties to strengthen implementation of the Paris Agreement.”
Associated Press writer Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed to this report.