John Kerry meets with Beijing officials to reinvigorate US-China climate discussions

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John Kerry, the US climate envoy, is set to visit China on Sunday to revive discussions on global warming between the world’s two largest polluters after a year-long break.

Climate talks between the US and China were suspended by Beijing in 2022 due to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. However, Kerry has informally met with his counterpart, Xie Zhenhua, on the sidelines of climate events.

During his recent address to lawmakers on Capitol Hill, Kerry expressed hope for progress in talks with China. The key areas of focus include reducing methane emissions, transitioning away from coal, combating deforestation, and increasing the use of renewable energy technologies.

Kerry stated, “Our goal is to explore opportunities for China and the United States to work together and accelerate progress for the rest of the world. By doing so, we can alleviate the sense of competition that may lead to unintended consequences.”

Despite the tensions caused by Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, Washington aims to separate climate talks from its broader relationship with China, which has worsened in recent times. Thom Woodroofe from the Asia Society’s China Climate Hub commented, “For China, geopolitics influences the climate agenda, not the other way around.”

Woodroofe emphasized that the visit’s success would be measured by whether Kerry and Zhenhua could restore the diplomatic framework established in 2021 to address climate issues. He added, “Over the past year, climate change has been ignored.”

In a joint statement with the US in 2021, China committed to addressing methane emissions. However, it has not joined the US-EU pledge to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030, and its plan for methane reduction remains undisclosed.

President Xi Jinping pledged in 2020 that China would reach peak CO₂ emissions by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2060. These targets require a significant reduction in coal consumption, accounting for half of the world’s total.

Byford Tsang, senior policy adviser at climate think-tank E3G, stated that Kerry’s success would depend on progress made on pre-suspended climate issues. Tsang explained, “This includes clear signals from China that it is intensifying efforts to meet climate targets, especially in terms of reducing coal power and implementing a plan to control methane emissions.”

Alden Meyer from E3G suggested that China could contribute more to financing the green transition, such as through contributions to the UN’s green climate fund.

Kerry’s upcoming trip to China, his third as Biden’s climate envoy, follows US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s visit to Beijing earlier this month and Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit in the preceding month. The Biden administration aims to establish regular high-level engagement after a period of sporadic contact between the two countries.

While efforts are being made to establish communication channels to handle crises, both US and Chinese officials privately acknowledge that neither side expects a strategic shift in approach. Yellen, during her visit to China, maintained that the US would continue implementing security measures, such as export controls, while China voiced its objections to Biden’s approach.

Kerry clarified that his visit aims to “create stability” and emphasized that no concessions would be made. He stated, “Our objective is to find ways to cooperate and effectively address the climate crisis.”

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