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Kerry and Xie paved the way for progress at international summits that could have otherwise stagnated. The annual U.N. climate summit was being held in Copenhagen later that year, and Kerry was eager to talk about it with Chinese officials. Stern said the deal “ricocheted around the climate world" and convinced countries that “we can actually get this done.”The importance of the deal became evident one month later. It was the relationship with China, Kerry said afterward, that helped “change the paradigm.”——-The warm feelings were short-lived. Donald Trump was elected president in 2016, and he promptly withdrew the U.S. from the Paris agreement after taking office.

Persons: John Kerry, Xie Zhenhua, Kerry, Xie, Mao Zedong's, Christiana Figueres, ”, Li Shuo, ” —, George W, Bush, Barack Obama's, Obama, Todd Stern, ” Stern, “, Xi Jinping, Stern, Figueres, ” Xie, —, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Xi, hadn’t, Trump, Biden, Jonathan Pershing, Nancy Pelosi, John, John Podesta, Podesta, ___ Read, Chris Megerian, Seth Borenstein Organizations: WASHINGTON, United, Communist Party, U.S, Asia Society, Greenpeace, Senate Foreign Relations, International, Trump, William, Flora Hewlett Foundation, Associated Press Locations: United Nations, Dubai, Paris, England, Vietnam, China, Copenhagen, Lima, Glasgow, Sunnylands, Beijing, Christiana, U.S, “, Lima , Peru, South, Taiwan, COVID, Egypt, California, Arab Emirates, AP.org

☆ Biden and Xi are glaringly absent from the UN's climate summit. That doesn't bode well for the world.
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

World leaders are gathering in the UAE for the COP28 climate change summit. But President Joe Biden and Xi Jinping of China will be absent. But the leaders of the world's biggest polluting nations — President Joe Biden and China's leader Xi Jinping — will be conspicuous by their absence. AdvertisementA man walks past a COP28 sign during the United Nations climate summit in Dubai on December 1, 2023. Xi and Biden are doing little to signal their commitment to sharing the burden of reducing the climate crisis equally by not attending the summit, say critics.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi, King Charles, Pope Francis, Xi Jinping, LUDOVIC MARIN, Biden, Kamala Harris, John Kerry, Xie Zhenhua, Tom Evans, Evans, Sultan Al Jaber, Kerry Organizations: Service, United Arab Emirates, White, Sunday, US, Democratic, APEC, BBC, Climate, Business, Sierra Club Locations: UAE, China, United Nations, Dubai, Biden's, Xi, San Francisco

China has decommissioned 70.45 gigawatts (GW) of coal-fired plants in the last decade, and is building far more renewable energy capacity than any other country. Coal power makes up about 70% of emissions in China, which has committed to being carbon neutral by 2060. After 2025, it is unclear whether China will approve new coal plants. But like many cities in China's coal country, coal revenues and jobs are an incentive to keep building. Several workers in Yulin expressed little doubt about whether new coal plants make economic and environmental sense.

Persons: Li, Gao Yuhe, Xu Mingjun, China's, Xie Zhenhua, Yuheng, Duan, Colleen Howe, Ella Cao, David Stanway, Tony Munroe, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Reuters, Greenpeace, Shenhua Energy, Global Energy Monitor, Development and Research Center, Shaanxi Yulin Energy, Shaanxi Daily, Thomson Locations: YULIN, China, Yulin, Yangquan, Shanxi, Dubai, Ukraine, Canada, Shaanxi, China's, Beijing, Singapore

Eventually, China wants the schemes to be integrated into national emissions trading and generate credits that can offset emissions by industrial polluters, government plans show. PERSONAL CARBON TRADINGChina's carbon inclusion ambitions have been in gestation since 2015, when the southeastern province of Guangdong published rules on how to convert low-carbon activity into credits. Guangdong also allows enterprises to meet 10% of carbon reduction obligations through carbon inclusion credits. And there are worries the carbon inclusion schemes could let industrial polluters off the hook by shifting the burden of emission cuts to households. China climate official Su Wei told local media the green transformation of China would "inevitably involve profound changes in people's daily habits and consumption patterns", but he said carbon inclusion schemes would remain voluntary.

Persons: David Kirton, China's, Xie Zhenhua, Banks, Benjamin Sovacool, Li, Zhang Xin, people's, Yaqiu Wang, Su Wei, David Stanway, Sonali Paul Organizations: REUTERS, China, Communist, China Academy of Sciences, People's Bank of, Boston University, Environmental Studies, New, Thomson Locations: Pingshan district, Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China, SHENZHEN, Dubai, Guangdong, People's Bank of China, Quzhou, Finland, British, Singapore, New York, Shanghai, Beijing

☆ Analysis-China Turns to Households in Fight to Slash Carbon Emissions
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +7 min

Eventually, China wants the schemes to be integrated into national emissions trading and generate credits that can offset emissions by industrial polluters, government plans show. PERSONAL CARBON TRADINGChina's carbon inclusion ambitions have been in gestation since 2015, when the southeastern province of Guangdong published rules on how to convert low-carbon activity into credits. Other countries have toyed with the idea of personal carbon trading, with pilot schemes set up in Finland and Australia's Norfolk Island. Guangdong also allows enterprises to meet 10% of carbon reduction obligations through carbon inclusion credits. And there are worries the carbon inclusion schemes could let industrial polluters off the hook by shifting the burden of emission cuts to households.

Persons: David Stanway, David Kirton, China's, Xie Zhenhua, Banks, Benjamin Sovacool, Li, Zhang Xin, people's, Yaqiu Wang, Su Wei, Sonali Paul Organizations: Communist, China Academy of Sciences, People's Bank of, Boston University, Environmental Studies, New Locations: China, Shenzhen, Dubai, Guangdong, People's Bank of China, Quzhou, Finland, British, Singapore, New York, Shanghai, Beijing

U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua before a meeting in Beijing, China July 17, 2023. The countries' top climate envoys, John Kerry and Xie Zhenhua, met in Sunnylands, California on Nov. 4-7 to find common ground ahead of crucial COP28 talks in Dubai starting at the end of the month. It will focus on key areas of cooperation, including abating methane and boosting efficiency and the "circular economy", and exchange information on policies and technologies to reduce emissions. They also committed to advancing "at least five" large-scale cooperation projects in carbon capture, utilisation and storage by the end of the decade. The United States and China agreed that the stocktake should show that "significantly more ambition and implementation" was required to meet the Paris goals and include calls for developed countries to meet their climate financing commitments.

Persons: John Kerry, Xie Zhenhua, Valerie Volcovici, Nancy Pelosi, COP28, David Stanway, Muralikumar Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Dubai, Paris, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights SINGAPORE, United States, Sunnylands , California, Taiwan, Paris

That has been a sticking point for the United States in months of discussions with Beijing on climate change. The United States and China have an outsize role to play there as nations debate whether to phase out fossil fuel. That is significant because the current Chinese climate goal addresses only carbon dioxide, leaving out methane, nitrous oxide and other gases that are acting as a blanket around the planet. Then, early this year, an American fighter jet shot down a Chinese spy balloon that had floated over the continental United States. When it comes to climate change, no relationship is as important as the one between the United States and China.

Persons: Biden, Xi Jinping, ”, David Sandalow, Clinton, Obama, Sandalow, they’re, Mr, John Kerry, Xie Zhenhua, “, Xi, Manish Bapna, ” Mr, Bapna, Kerry, Xie, Valerie Volcovici, Nancy Pelosi, Kerry’s, optimistically, . Biden, Donald Trump, Keith Bradsher Organizations: Hamas, Columbia University’s Center, Global Energy, International Energy Agency, U.S ., Cooperation, Natural Resources Defense Council, Beijing, Republican Locations: Bohai, Weifang, China, United States, Taiwan, Ukraine, Israel, Beijing, Dubai, United Nations, United Kingdom, U.S, California, ”, Europe, American, America

☆ US and China pledge to resume climate working group, ramp up renewables ahead of Biden-Xi summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Nectar Gan | Ella Nilsen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The two sides decided to “operationalize” a suspended bilateral working group to “engage in dialogue and cooperation to accept concrete climate actions” in this decade, according to the statement. That working group was first proposed by Kerry and Xie in 2021 at the United Nations climate summit in Glasgow, but has been on hold since August last year. Both countries agreed to economy-wide reductions of all greenhouse gases in their international climate commitments for 2035, including carbon dioxide, methane, and hydrofluorocarbons. Li Shuo, the director of China Climate Hub at the Asia Society Policy Institute, said China’s pledge to set release targets for all greenhouse gas emissions was arguably the most notable point in the statement. Non-carbon dioxide gases such as methane still account for a considerable share of China’s greenhouse gas emissions,” he said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, John Kerry, Xie Zhenhua, Kerry, Xie, ”, Li Shuo, China’s, you’re, Li Organizations: CNN, Economic Cooperation, US State Department, China’s Ministry of Ecology, United, “, Asia Society Policy Institute, UN, Asia Society Locations: United States, China, San Francisco, Asia, Beijing, Washington, Taiwan, California, United Nations, Glasgow, Dubai, COP28, UAE

☆ China emissions could go into 'structural decline' next year - research
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SINGAPORE, Nov 14 (Reuters) - China's greenhouse emissions could start going into "structural decline" as early as next year as power generation from fossil fuels starts to fall, analysis from the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) showed. However, CREA's lead analyst, Lauri Myllyvirta, said emissions could start to go into "structural decline" as early as 2024, despite an estimated rebound of 4.7% year on year in the third quarter of 2023. Factors such as record levels of new renewable installations, a rebound in hydropower generation and a moderate economic recovery that has not relied on infrastructural investment "all but guarantee" a decline in China's CO2 emissions next year, he said. "This would push fossil fuel use - and emissions - into an extended period of structural decline." Editing by Gerry DoyleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Xie Zhenhua, Lauri Myllyvirta, David Stanway, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Research, Energy, Clean, Carbon, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Helsinki, Dubai

John Kerry, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate speaks during an earlier interview with Reuters, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on October 31, 2023. REUTERS/Abdel Hadi Ramahi/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSINGAPORE, Nov 10 (Reuters) - The United States and China have reached "understandings and agreements" on climate issues that will help ensure progress is made at the COP28 talks starting late this month in Dubai, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry said on Friday. China envoy Xie told diplomats in September that phasing out fossil fuels was "unrealistic" while key technologies like energy storage remained immature. China now has 360 gigawatts of coal-fired power capacity in its project construction pipeline, he said, but "they're trying very hard to move away." Right now, "it is irresponsible to be funding a coal-fired power plant anywhere in the world," he said.

Persons: John Kerry, Abdel Hadi Ramahi, Kerry, Xie Zhenhua, Xie, David Stanway, Tom Hogue Organizations: Reuters, United, REUTERS, Rights, Bloomberg, Economy, Thomson Locations: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Rights SINGAPORE, United States, China, Dubai , U.S, Sunnylands , California, Singapore, COP28

China is installing about as many solar panels and wind turbines as the rest of the world combined, and is on track to meet its target for clean energy six years early. It is using renewables to meet nearly all of the growth in its electricity needs. Yet there is another side to that rapid expansion, one that is causing consternation in Washington at a critical period of climate diplomacy: China is also building new power plants that burn coal, the dirtiest of the fossil fuels, at a pace that dwarfs the rest of the world. China accounts for a third of the world’s energy-related greenhouse gas emissions — more than North America, Central America, South America, Europe and Africa combined. President Barack Obama and Xi Jinping, China’s leader, began a joint push for climate action a decade ago at Sunnylands.

Persons: John Kerry, Biden’s, Xie Zhenhua, Barack Obama, Xi Locations: China, Washington, North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Southern California

Governors of California, which has an economy larger than most countries, have a long history of climate collaboration with China. “It’s going to be very difficult to tackle the climate crisis just here in California,” Sanchez said. California Republicans said Newsom shouldn’t be visiting China at a time of tensions over international conflicts and the suppression of free speech. But climate experts said California has a significant role to play in advancing global climate policy. “There’s a natural role for California and the California governor.”___Megerian reported from Washington.

Persons: Gavin Newsom, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Jerry Brown, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Brown, Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, John Kerry, Xie Zhenhua, Xie, David Victor, ” Victor, ”, Newsom, Kerry, Lauren Sanchez, ” Brown, Sanchez, “ It’s, ” Sanchez, Biden, Ron DeSantis, Newsom shouldn’t, James Gallagher, “ Newsom shouldn’t, It’s, Nathaniel Keohane, ” ___ Megerian, Ken Moritsugu Organizations: —, Governors, China Climate Institute, University of California, U.S, ., U.S ., White, Democrats, Republican, Florida Gov, California Republicans, Center, Climate, Energy Solutions, Associated Press Locations: SACRAMENTO, Calif, — California, China, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, Jiangsu, He'll, Israel, California, Berkeley, United States, Taiwan, Dubai, Indonesia, U.S, San Diego, ” California, U.S . West Coast, Washington

☆ California governor Newsom to visit China next week to discuss climate action
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Gavin Newsom, governor of the State of California, speaks at the 2023 Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., May 2, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 19 (Reuters) - California governor Gavin Newsom will visit China next week to discuss climate cooperation, promote bilateral economic development and tourism and encourage cultural exchanges, his office said in a statement on Thursday. "California and China hold the keys to solving the climate crisis," Newsom said. California has played a major role in maintaining climate ties between China and the United States, the world's two biggest greenhouse gas emitters. China and the United States relaunched top-level bilateral climate talks earlier this year after a hiatus triggered by the visit of former House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, the democratically governed island that China claims.

Persons: Gavin Newsom, Mike Blake, Newsom, Donald Trump, Xie Zhenhua, Jerry Brown, Nancy Pelosi, Xie, John Kerry, David Stanway, Christopher Cushing Organizations: of, Milken, Global Conference, REUTERS, China Climate Institute, Beijing's Tsinghua University, United States, U.S, Dubai, Thomson Locations: of California, Beverly Hills , California, U.S, California, China, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Guangdong, . California, United States, Paris, Taiwan, Singapore

The planned tariff has caused disquiet among trading partners and at a forum last month, China's top climate envoy Xie Zhenhua urged countries not to resort to unilateral measures such as the EU levy. The bloc will not begin collecting any CO2 emission charges at the border until 2026. Importers will from 2026 need to purchase certificates to cover these CO2 emissions to put foreign producers on a level footing with EU industries that must buy permits from the EU carbon market when they pollute. Companies in the European Union, Britain and Ukraine have told Reuters they expect little initial impact during the trial phase. Among Europe's significant trade partners, China's foreign ministry, Turkey's trade ministry and a U.S. official declined to comment on the launch.

Persons: Xie Zhenhua, Paolo Gentiloni, Gentiloni, Philip Blenkinsop, Kate Abnett, Valerie Volcovici, Nevzat, David Stanway, Barbara Lewis Organizations: European Union, Companies, Reuters, European Commission, World Trade Organization, U.S, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Britain, Ukraine, Europe, Washington, Ankara, Beijing

☆ China climate envoy says phasing out fossil fuels 'unrealistic'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( David Stanway | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SINGAPORE, Sept 22 (Reuters) - The complete phasing-out of fossil fuels is not realistic, China's top climate official said, adding that these climate-warming fuels must continue to play a vital role in maintaining global energy security. China is the world's biggest consumer of fossil fuels including coal and oil, and its special climate envoy Xie Zhenhua was responding to comments by ambassadors at a forum in Beijing on Thursday ahead of the COP28 climate meeting in Dubai in November. The stocktake will be at the centre of discussions at the COP28 climate meeting, with campaigners hoping it will create the political will to set clear targets to end coal and oil use. "It is unrealistic to completely phase out fossil fuel energy," said Xie, who will represent China at COP28 this year. At climate talks in Glasgow in 2021, China led efforts to change the language of the final agreement from "phasing out" to "phasing down" fossil fuels.

Persons: Xie Zhenhua, Xie, John Kerry, Nancy Pelosi's, David Stanway, Miral Organizations: Reuters, U.S, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, China, Beijing, Dubai, COP28, Glasgow, United States, Taiwan

☆ China, U.S. climate envoys hold video talks on climate-change cooperation
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

John Kerry, the U.S. special envoy on climate issues, gestures as he attends a press conference in Beijing, China, July 19, 2023. REUTERS/Thomas Peter Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Aug 23 (Reuters) - China's climate envoy Xie Zhenhua and U.S. counterpart John Kerry held a video call on Wednesday, exchanging views on topics such as climate change dialogue and cooperation between the two countries, Beijing's Ministry of Ecology and Environment said. Both sides agreed to continue to maintain close communication, the ministry said. Reporting by Ella Cao in Beijing and Meg Shen in Hongkong, editing by Mark HeinrichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: John Kerry, Thomas Peter Acquire, Xie Zhenhua, Ella Cao, Meg Shen, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: U.S, REUTERS, Rights, Beijing's Ministry of Ecology, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING, Hongkong

[1/2] U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua before a meeting in Beijing, China July 17, 2023. REUTERS/Valerie Volcovici/File PhotoBEIJING/SINGAPORE, July 20 (Reuters) - Climate talks this week between China and the United States were buoyed by goodwill, but the world's two biggest carbon polluters achieved more on righting their diplomatic relationship than battling climate change. Kerry said China agreed that a target to keep global temperatures rises within 1.5 Celsius of pre-industrial levels should remain "alive". Kerry and Xie focussed on progress headed toward COP28, the annual U.N. climate summit in November. Questions remain about the longer term, should political winds shift in the United States or the two diplomats leave their posts.

Persons: John Kerry, Xie Zhenhua, Valerie Volcovici, Kerry, Nancy Pelosi, Antony Blinken, Janet Yellen, Li Shuo, Li, Xie, Ma Jun, Ma, Premier Li Qiang, Wang Yi, David Stanway, William Mallard Organizations: REUTERS, Democratic, GOOD AS IT, China, Greenpeace, Institute of Environment, Public Affairs, Communist Party, Daily, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, BEIJING, SINGAPORE, United States, Washington, U.S, Taiwan, Kerry, Paris, COP28, America, Premier, Dubai

[1/2] U.S. climate envoy John Kerry, at right walks next to U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns as they arrive for meetings at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Wednesday, July 19, 2023. Ng Han Guan/Pool via REUTERSBEIJING, July 19 (Reuters) - Climate change is a "universal threat" that should be handled separately from broader diplomatic issues, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry told Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng on Wednesday after two days of what he called constructive but complex talks. Acknowledging the diplomatic difficulties between the two sides in recent years, Kerry said climate should be treated as a "free-standing" challenge that requires the collective efforts of the world's largest economies to resolve. Kerry told reporters earlier that his talks with Chinese officials this week have been constructive but complicated, with the two sides still dealing with political "externalities", including Taiwan.

Persons: John Kerry, China Nicholas Burns, Ng Han Guan, Han Zheng, Kerry, Wang Yi, Premier Li Qiang, Xie Zhenhua, Han, Nancy Pelosi, It's, Valerie Volcovici, David Stanway, Stephen Coates Organizations: of, People, REUTERS, Premier, . House, Thomson Locations: U.S, China, Beijing, REUTERS BEIJING, Europe, Asia, United States, Dubai, Paris, Taiwan

A global pattern of heat waves that have scorched parts of Europe, Asia and the United States this week have thrown that challenge into sharp relief. The World Meteorological Organization warned on Tuesday of increased risk of deaths linked to excessively high temperatures. In South Korea, deluges of rain have pummelled central and southern regions since last week. In recent days, temperatures in Xinjiang and other parts of Asia, as well as Europe and the United States have shattered records. On Tuesday, Beijing logged its 27th day of temperatures of more than 35C, setting a new local record for the most number of high-temperature days in a year.

Persons: Aly, Kerry, John Kerry, Hawaii's Big, Storm Calvin, Yoon Suk Yeol, Han Duck, ” Han, Han Zheng, Han, Wang Yi, Premier Li Qiang, Xie Zhenhua, Ryan Woo, Valerie Vocovici, Hyonhee, John Geddie, Stephen Coates Organizations: heatwave, REUTERS, Hawaii U.S, World Meteorological Organization, National Weather Service, Meteorological, Premier, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, South Korea, Greece, Hawaii, Beijing, BEIJING, SEOUL, Athens, U.S, Europe, Asia, United States, Cheongju, North Gyeongsang, Seoul, China's, Xinjiang, Turpan, Taiwan, Dubai

Earlier this month, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said contributions from Beijing could boost U.N. climate funds. It has, however, signalled a willingness to offer climate finance to developing countries through different instruments, like a South-South Climate Cooperation fund it launched in 2015. And the United States hopes that China will unveil its domestic plans to tackle the issue before the next U.N. climate conference in December. Global emissions levels have only risen since. The United States tends to look at overall national emissions, ignoring both historical emissions and the per-capita breakdown.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Donald Trump's, Joe Biden, John Kerry, Xie Zhenhua, Kerry, Xie, David Stanway, Katy Daigle, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: European Union, Treasury, Climate Cooperation, Technological, Biden, Kerry, Microvast Holdings, Global, European, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, United, Beijing, U.S, U.N, Rio de Janeiro, United States, Xinjiang, Paris, Glasgow, 1.5C, European Union, COP28, Dubai, Singapore

[1/5] U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi shake hands before a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China July 18, 2023. REUTERS/Florence Lo/PoolBEIJING, July 18 (Reuters) - China and the United States could use climate cooperation to redefine their troubled diplomatic relationship and lead the way in tackling global warming, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry told China's top diplomat Wang Yi on Tuesday. Kerry told Wang at Beijing's Great Hall of the People that talks could provide a fresh start for the world's two biggest greenhouse gas emitters, which have been mired in disputes over Taiwan and trade. Kerry's third visit to China as U.S. climate envoy marks the formal resumption in top-level climate diplomacy between the two countries. The former Secretary of State is the third top U.S. official to visit Beijing in the past month.

Persons: John Kerry, Wang Yi, Florence Lo, China's, Kerry, Wang, Xie Zhenhua, Xie, Valerie Volcovici, Ryan Woo, David Stanway, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: of, People, REUTERS, . State, State, U.S, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, BEIJING, United States, U.S, Taiwan, Iran

☆ U.S. and China envoys seek to revive climate diplomacy
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

US climate envoy John Kerry gestures as he speaks next to China's special climate envoy Xie Zhenhua during a session at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos on May 24, 2022. Fabrice Coffrini | Afp | Getty ImagesU.S. climate envoy John Kerry said it was "imperative that China and the United States make real progress" in the four months before the COP28 global climate talks in Dubai, as he met his counterpart Xie Zhenhua in the Chinese capital on Monday. He also urged China to partner with the United States to cut methane emissions and reduce the climate impact of coal-fired power, with the two sides aiming to rebuild trust following a suspension in talks last year. Kerry praised the "incredible job" China has been doing in building up renewable energy capacity but said it had been undercut by the construction of new coal power plants. China has pledged to start reducing coal consumption, but not until 2026, and new coal power project approvals have accelerated since last year.

Persons: John Kerry, Xie Zhenhua, Fabrice Coffrini, Xie, Kerry Organizations: Afp, Getty Locations: Davos, China, United States, Dubai

☆ Kerry Says U.S. and China Must Set Aside Politics to Tackle Climate Change
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Lisa Friedman | More About Lisa Friedman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The United States and China are running out of time to avert a harrowing future brought on by global warming, John Kerry, President Biden’s envoy for climate change, warned on Monday at the resumption of talks with Beijing that had stalled for nearly a year amid geopolitical tensions. Heat waves also have swept over Europe and across the United States, baking the South and Southwest. Mr. Kerry said the rest of the world is looking to the two economic powers and major polluters to urgently reduce greenhouse gas emissions that are dangerously warming the planet. He challenged the Chinese government to curb the rapid expansion of its fleet of coal-fired power plants. “The world and the climate crisis demand that we make progress rapidly and significantly,” Mr. Kerry told China’s top climate envoy, Xie Zhenhua, and other officials as the countries kicked off three days of formal talks in Beijing.

Persons: John Kerry, Biden’s, Kerry, Mr, Xie Zhenhua, ” Locations: States, China, Beijing, Xinjiang, Europe, United States, “

During those COP27 climate talks last year in Egypt, China's top climate envoy, Xie Zhenhua, made an unexpected appearance at a meeting of the Global Methane Partnership, a U.S.-EU led initiative aimed at slashing 2020-level methane emissions by 30% by the end of this decade. Xie said China had drafted a plan with concrete measures to curb methane emissions from energy, agriculture and waste. COAL GASTwo big sources of methane emissions growth in China are livestock and rice production, neither of which are included in the country's climate plans. China is the world's largest source of methane from coal mines, with 28% of the world's biggest methane emissions points, according to Antoine Halff, co-founder of the environmental research group Karryos. "When you look around at the sources of coal mine methane worldwide, China is three or four times bigger than the next country's coal mine methane emissions," Banks said.

Persons: John Kerry, Kerry, Xie Zhenhua, Xie, Jonathan Banks, Joe Biden, Biden, Banks, Antoine Halff, Halff, Valerie Volcovici, David Stanway, Dominique Patton, Timothy Gardner, Katy Daigle, Will Dunham Organizations: Sunday, Methane Partnership, EU, Air Task Force, Program, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Task Force, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, U.S, China, Beijing, United States, Washington ., Glasgow, Sharm el, Egypt, Dubai, Shanxi, Boston, Singapore, Washington

☆ Global temperatures near record highs as US, China meet on climate
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Charlie Devereux | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

REUTERS/Remo CasilliSummary Weather extremes experienced around the worldBiggest polluters United States and China meetClimate crisis 'is happening', says WHO bossMADRID, July 17 (Reuters) - Global temperatures were soaring to historic highs as the world's two biggest carbon emitters, the United States and China, sought on Monday to reignite talks on climate change. Wildfires in Europe raged ahead of a second heat wave in two weeks that was set to send temperatures as high as 48C. Ahead of meeting Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua in Beijing, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry urged China to partner with the United States to cut methane emissions and coal-fired power. Prolonged high temperatures in China are threatening power grids and crops and raising concerns about a repeat of last year's drought, the most severe in 60 years. The heat dome across the western United States also helped to generate heavy rains in the northeast, claiming at least five lives.

Persons: Remo, MADRID, reignite, Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Xie Zhenhua, John Kerry, Talim, Charon, Matilde, Angelica Aureli, it's, Ruben del Campo, Sergio Rodriguez, Kayla Hill, Carlo Buontempo, Buontempo, Charlie Devereux, Emma Pinedo, Giselda Vagnoni, Emma Farge, Kate Abnett, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: REUTERS, United, World Health, ACT, Italy's Air Force, La Palma, Canaries, TVE, World Meteorological Organization, National, Thomson Locations: Italy, Rome, United States, China, Sanbao, Europe, Beijing, U.S, Guangdong, Hainan, South Korea, Seoul, Sardinia, Spain, La, Florida, Furnace Creek, Salt Lake City , Utah, Madrid, Geneva, Brussels

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