Politico | John Kerry says trusting China on climate would be ‘stupid and malpractice’
- Biden’s climate envoy says he discussed a unified strategy with European Union foreign ministers earlier this week to deal with China and other nations
- He added that the administration is not simply ‘relying on someone’s word’ to ensure Beijing meets its climate pledges
This story is published in a content partnership with POLITICO. It was originally reported on politico.com on May 12, 2021.
Special presidential climate envoy John Kerry told the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday that China has “moved somewhat” after concerted climate talks, but that the Biden administration is not merely “relying on somebody’s word” to ensure China meets its climate pledges.
The news: Kerry positioned China as an adversary and global economic competitor that requires not only United States pressure but a coordinated international effort to ensure the world can keep temperatures from rising 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels.
“It's not a matter of taking things by trust,” Kerry said. “It would be stupid and malpractice if we just set up a sort of trust thing.”
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US, China put aside differences for pledge to work together on climate change
He said Chinese President Xi Jinping calling climate change a “crisis” amounted to progress, as did Xi’s public comments during last month’s Leaders Summit on Climate that China would peak coal consumption by 2026.