US And China Might Have Set A Better Atmosphere For COP28 Summit

The biggest carbon emitters in the world have agreed on measures to tackle the climate emergency, according to a joint statement. The US and China will step up co-operation on methane and support global efforts to triple renewable energy by the end of the decade.

The document is silent on the use of coal and the future of fossil energy. But observers said it was a positive sign ahead of the UN climate conference (COP28) in Dubai later this month. The statement will certainly boost the mood of delegates preparing to attend the Summit.

Key Joe Biden-Xi Jinping Bilateral In California

The US and China remain committed to the effective implementation of the Paris Agreement and decisions thereunder, including the Glasgow Climate Pact and The Sharm el-Sheikh Implementation Plan, according to the press release.

The statement came as the presidents of both nations prepared for a face-to-face meeting in California for the first time in more than a year. The Joe Biden-Xi Jinping bilateral on Wednesday touched on several pressing topics, including Taiwan, the Middle East and climate crisis.

The focus on methane is seen as important as the gas is an extremely potent warming chemical in the short term. “This announcement is a major step because China is the world’s largest methane emitter,” said David Waskow from the World Resources Institute.

Joint Statement Bound To Have An Impact On Others

China wasn’t among the signitories when countries agreed the Global Methane Pledge in Glasgow. But according to the statement, the two countries will now include all greenhouse gases including methane in their next round of national climate plans.

The US and China have also said they will jointly host a methane and non-CO2 gas summit at the UN climate conference later in November. And the fact that even the big divisions between the two countries can be overcome for the sake of Earth is bound to have an impact on others.