It was a pleasant surprise for the world governments and climate activists assembled at the Glasgow climate summit. The United States and China pledged to work together to slow global warming during this decade. As the world's two biggest greenhouse gas emitters, a promise to meet the central goals of the 2015 Paris climate accord, which talks about limiting global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) was seen a positive step forward.

They will also walk the talk has been promised in the form of a working group that will "meet regularly to address the climate crisis and advance the multilateral process, focusing on enhancing concrete actions in this decade." (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/10/china-and-the-us-announce-plan-to-work-together-on-cutting-emissions)

Looking at the world's reaction to announcement by the two countries, it is largely seen as a positive step towards the fag end of the U.N. climate summit. Genevieve Maricle, director of U.S. climate policy action at pressure group WWF, said the announcement offered "new hope" that the 1.5C limit set by the Paris Accord can be achieved. (https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-59243434)

But people want more evidence that China will stick to its commitments. China's top climate negotiator Xie Zhenhua told reporters that "there is more agreement between China and U.S. than divergence" on climate change.

Even the U.N. Secretary General, António Guterres, welcomed the decision through his Twitter handle saying, "Tackling the climate crisis requires international collaboration and solidarity, and this is an important step in the right direction."

But Bernice Lee, research director at Chatham House, was quoted in The Guardian as saying that said while cooperation between the U.S. and China was positive, "details remain patchy". "The statement is not enough to close the deal. The real test of Washington and Beijing is how hard they push for a 1.5C-aligned deal here in Glasgow." So, the two powers have a long way before they can convince the world. (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/11/us-china-deal-on-emissions-welcomed-by-global-figures-and-climate-experts)

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There is cautious optimism:
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/11/cop26-us-china-declaration-on-climate-welcomed.html