US-China climate talks yield ‘positive results’ ahead of COP28 and possible Xi-Biden meeting

Climate envoys Xie Zhenhua and John Kerry wrap up five days of talks in California as Beijing releases long-awaited methane reduction plan
Meetings expected to lay groundwork for potential summit between leaders on Apec sidelines next week as well as UN climate change conference in Dubai

US-China relations

Cyril Ip

Published: 8:00pm, 9 Nov 2023

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Climate talks between Chinese and US officials in California have yielded “positive results”, China’s environment ministry said on Thursday in a sign that the world’s two biggest greenhouse gas emitters are closer to a new agreement.

Beijing’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment said the five-day talks between Chinese climate envoy Xie Zhenhua and his US counterpart John Kerry “concluded successfully” on Wednesday.

The meetings are expected to lay the groundwork for a potential summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Joe Biden next week as well as for the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), which will kick off in Dubai in three weeks.

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The two sides “engaged in a comprehensive and in-depth exchange of views” and “achieved positive results on developing bilateral cooperation and operations on climate change”, the ministry said in a statement on Thursday. It added that they would jointly push for the success of COP28.

Kerry shared positive sentiments on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, along with photos taken with Xie at the Sunnylands estate in Rancho Mirage, where Xi and then US president Barack Obama held their first summit in 2013.

“We had comprehensive and constructive discussions with the [People’s Republic of China] over five days, and we reached common ground on a number of issues that we expect will prove productive in these critical weeks ahead of COP28,” Kerry wrote.

Beijing on Wednesday published its long-awaited methane reduction plan, which emphasises improving monitoring and supervision of methane emissions through a clear framework for local Chinese governments, enterprises and financial institutions. Methane is more potent than carbon dioxide despite having a shorter lifespan in the atmosphere.

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Xie and Kerry last met in Beijing in July, shortly after the two countries resumed bilateral talks on climate change, which were suspended after former US House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taipei in August of last year.

At the time, Kerry described the July talks as “extremely warm and productive” and went on to meet China’s top diplomat Wang Yi, Premier Li Qiang and Vice-President Han Zheng. Kerry and Xie spoke again via video link a week later.

The COP28 summit, aimed at building a consensus on limiting global warming, will be held in the United Arab Emirates from November 30 to December 12.

COP28 president Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, who heads the UAE’s state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, praised China’s methane plan as a “critical step for global climate action”, saying he was “delighted” to see China taking part in global efforts.

China emits 7.44 tonnes (8.2 tons) of carbon dioxide per person annually while the US emits 15.32 tonnes, according to Worldometer. China has pledged to reach peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2060.

The climate summit in Dubai is expected to follow a much-anticipated meeting between Biden and Xi on the sidelines of next week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco.

While neither side has confirmed the meeting, top officials from both countries have consistently visited each other in what has been seen as a bid to patch relations and reestablish high-level dialogue.

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