Any action to avert the climate catastrophe must have the US and China – the world’s biggest emitters – on the same page. They, however, are locked in a battle for supremacy. This week they have agreed to put their differences aside and join hands for climate action. Still, China’s long-term plans remain coal-dependent, and its economic priorities are likely to come in the way of effective action.

US special envoy for climate John Kerry and his Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua agreed on a joint statement [https://www.state.gov/u-s-china-joint-statement-addressing-the-climate-crisis/] after two-day talks in Shanghai. The two sides expressed commitment “to cooperating with each other and with other countries to tackle the climate crisis, which must be addressed with the seriousness and urgency that it demands.” This comes days before President Biden’s virtual climate-summit (beginning on Earth Day, April 22) with world leaders including Xi Jinping. Around the time the joint statement was being signed, Xi was telling French President Macron and German Chancellor Merkel that China was committed to its pledges including reducing carbon emissions before 2030.

That should give the world hope that positive vibes are building up on this front. However, that hope has to be tampered with caution. In his conference call of Friday, Xi also climate must not be made “a bargaining chip for geopolitics”, and that the advanced nations should take the lead in making bigger cuts. Also on the same day, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng hinted that for a country with the largest population, climate goals were more difficult to deliver on compared to western nations with smaller populations. He did not confirm if Xi would join Biden in the summit.

The US president wants to make climate action the cornerstone of his administration. He has reversed Trump’s stance, brought the US back into the Paris Accord, and with the upcoming summit wants to set the agenda for the UN summit in November. But China’s long-term economic agenda is deeply committed to higher growth based on fossil fuel. Its global ambitions also leave little room for climate concerns.

More:

https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-climate-shanghai-climate-change-john-kerry-905125d79b6c31940b8747df86c2a87a

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/17/world/asia/china-us-emissions.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/15/world/asia/us-china-climate-john-kerry.html

Analysis:
https://www.csis.org/us-china-climate-and-energy-relationship