US-China Resume Climate Talks, Vow Big Steps

John Kerry, the US Climate Envoy, initiated his first significant climate discussions with Chinese officials in almost a year. Despite the profound tensions between the two superpowers, both sides committed to achieving practical results.

Xie Zhenhua, China’s climate envoy, indicated on Monday that China is pursuing substantial dialogue this week. He believes these discussions on climate and green transition could contribute to improving bilateral relations.

Kerry, who arrived in Beijing on Sunday, expressed his hope that both China and the US would take major steps that would indicate to the world their seriousness about the common threat to humanity. He added that he hopes they can work with the greatest purpose they have ever worked with to get this done.

Following a four-hour meeting on Monday morning, negotiations between the world’s top two greenhouse gas emitters on tackling global warming resumed. These talks had been suspended last year after a controversial visit to Taiwan by then US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Kerry, who was appointed as the US special presidential envoy for climate two years ago, is the third senior US official to visit Beijing in five weeks. While previous visits by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen resulted mostly in pledges to continue discussions, the arena of climate presents potential for breakthroughs.

This week’s negotiations aim to make progress on a series of issues, including global climate targets, methane abatement, and the use of coal-fired power. They are also expected to lay the groundwork for potential pronouncements at several upcoming events.

Talks will cover ambitions in addressing climate change, a new loss and damage fund for compensating climate victims, and areas for possible bilateral collaboration. Those could involve deploying more wind and solar power and managing the intermittent nature of those electricity sources.

However, even a formal joint statement from Xie and Kerry’s discussions that commits to keep talking and to revive a joint working group they agreed to form would be considered progress.

One potential source of tension is China’s approach to fossil fuels. Despite being the world’s largest installer of renewable energy and being on track to exceed its own clean power targets, China continues to expand its massive fleet of coal-fired plants and add new natural gas deals.

Despite this, Kerry praised China’s commitment to renewables. He also urged both nations to partner to rapidly reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases such as methane. He acknowledged that the US should also do more to combat the climate crisis.