Climate governance cannot succeed without China-US cooperation
Liu Yuanling
Liu Zhenmin, China’s special envoy on climate change, is holding talks with John Podesta, senior adviser to US president for international climate policy, in the US from May 7 to 16. The first formal talks between climate envoys from both countries carry great significance. The talks will cover topics including energy, circular economy and greenhouse gas emissions reduction, aiming to promote concrete actions. It is evident that both China and the US show a positive attitude toward climate dialogue, which not only sends a positive signal for China-US climate diplomacy and bilateral relations but it also has a positive impact on global climate governance.
The challenges facing global climate governance are becoming increasingly severe. Under the influence of global climate change, various extreme weather events, such as heat wave, droughts, floods and wildfires, are becoming more frequent, resulting in significant property damage and casualties. These disasters are widespread around the world, affecting people in both China and the US. As two of the world’s largest economies, it can be said that without cooperation between China and the US to jointly address the climate crisis, global climate governance cannot succeed.
From the Kyoto Protocol to the Paris Agreement, and to the meeting of the leaders in Bali and countless bilateral communications, China and the US have a solid foundation for cooperation in the field of climate. The climate cooperation between the two countries has experienced ups and downs. Today, various challenges still exist, including macro-level issues such as international relations, politics and economics, as well as micro-level differences such as new energy vehicles and carbon emissions. As the two countries move toward reaching a consensus, challenges also loom. In light of this, both sides need to face the challenges head on, not focusing on differences but concentrating their limited resources on elements and potentials that can promote China-US climate diplomacy from insignificance to importance, from inferiority to superiority, and achieve more achievements in climate cooperation.
There are still many positive aspects to China-US climate cooperation, and it is necessary to emphasize their positive role in deepening climate cooperation and eliminating uncertainties. First, establishing a positive and sustainable cooperation framework at the highest level is the fundamental basis for the steady development of China-US climate cooperation. In September 2021, Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized in a telephone call to US President Joe Biden that on the basis of respecting each other’s core concerns and properly managing differences, the relevant departments of the two countries may continue their engagement and dialogue to advance coordination and cooperation on climate change, COVID-19 response and economic recovery as well as on major international and regional issues. Biden also expressed that the US is prepared to have more candid exchanges and constructive discussions with China to identify key and priority areas where cooperation is possible. The Sunnylands Statement released in November last year also played a significant role in promoting bilateral climate diplomacy, forming a framework for discussion. In the overall tense situation of China-US bilateral relations, the statements of the highest leaders of the two countries have laid a solid foundation for China-US climate cooperation.
Second, expanding communication and maintaining dialogue is another good tradition of China-US climate diplomacy, providing a guarantee for the uninterrupted progress of bilateral climate diplomacy. As an important means to stabilize and consolidate China-US relations, both sides have maintained good communication. In addition to the meeting with Podesta this time, Liu also holds talks concerning climate change with UN bodies and think tanks, further enhancing the foundation for climate cooperation. By continuously optimizing communication channels and expanding the scope of cooperation, these positive results will effectively offset the contradictions and conflicts in other areas, enabling bilateral climate cooperation to enter a virtuous cycle.
Third, in response to the false narrative of China’s overcapacity in new energy production, which has been hyped by some US politicians, this meeting explicitly released a signal of setting aside disputes and respecting each other, focusing instead on topics where a consensus is easier to achieve. This reflects the maturity and pragmatism of both sides in implementing the consensus of the two leaders and promoting the fruitful results of climate cooperation. Facing the enormous demand for international climate governance and industrial transformation, China’s new energy production capacity is far from excessive but urgently needed. Looking toward the future, taking small steps to advance any cooperation early on is a powerful tonic for global climate governance.
The resumption of face-to-face exchanges between China and the US climate envoys reflects the responsible positions and attitudes of the two major countries and is a blessing for global climate governance. It is hoped that the climate cooperation between the two major countries will overcome all obstacles and become a model for global climate cooperation.
The writer is a scholar at the Institute of American Studies at Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
