US falling behind China in shaping climate future, Antony Blinken says
- Secretary of state vows climate will be at centre of Washington’s foreign policy, creating jobs for Americans and allowing US values to influence climate future
- But countries’ progress on curbing climate change should not be a bargaining chip to excuse human rights abuses, he says
In an address in Maryland on Monday, Blinken said climate change would increasingly be at the centre of US foreign policy but vowed that the Biden administration would not let other countries get away with bad practices such as human rights abuses on the basis that they were making progress on curbing climate change.
The US would not treat “other countries’ progress on climate as a chip they can use to excuse bad behaviour in other areas that are important to our national security”, Blinken said. “The Biden-Harris administration is united on this. Climate is not a trading card.”
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US, China put aside differences for pledge to work together on climate change
“I’m with John 100 per cent in this effort,” Blinken said of Kerry’s role, calling the former top US diplomat “my friend”.
The challenge of both confronting and keeping up with China will be a central element of US climate policy. Blinken said that the US would miss its chance “to shape the world’s climate future in a way that reflects our interests and values, and we’ll lose out on countless jobs for the American people” if it did not catch up with China.
He called China “the largest producer and exporter of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and electric vehicles”.