John Kerry, the United States’s special envoy on climate is currently in China to revive efforts to combat global warming amid weeks of record-setting heat in the northern hemisphere that scientists say is being exacerbated by climate change.
Kerry’s four-day trip, which began on Sunday, follows two other high-level US visits to China this year as the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitters work to stabilise a relationship strained by trade disputes, military tensions and accusations of spying.
Starting on Monday, “China and the United States will have an in-depth exchange of views” on climate issues. The envoy’s bilateral talks with his Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua will focus on issues including reducing methane emissions, limiting coal use, curbing deforestation and helping poor countries address climate change.
Kerry and Xie, who are said to have cultivated a warm relationship over more than 20 years of diplomacy, will also likely discuss China’s objections to US tariffs and other restrictions on imports of Chinese solar panel and battery components, observers say.
Read also: Over 1000 UK energy firms warn Sunak against backing off green agenda’
According to reports, Kerry is the third top US official after Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to visit China this year to try to reestablish a stable bilateral relationship. Both countries say they should be able to collaborate on climate change regardless of other disagreements.
Li Shuo from Greenpeace was quoted as saying that the scheduled talks showed climate change “is still the touchstone for the most important bilateral relationship of the world”.
The restart of US-China climate talks comes on the heels of the hottest week on record globally, according to the World Meteorological Organization. June was already the hottest ever logged, according to US and European agencies.
Among other things, Kerry is expected to use his time in Beijing to engage with Chinese officials “with respect to increasing implementation and ambition and promoting a successful COP28”, the State Department said, referring to the United Nations climate talks in November.
Nearly 200 nations are also expected to gather in the United Arab Emirates for COP28 to thrash out ways to mitigate global warming and its effects.
Story was adapted from the Guardian.
