“The environment is where we all meet; where all of us have a mutual interest; it is the one thing all of us share.”
Lady Bird Johnson
Everyone on the planet shares one atmosphere, making climate change a global problem. So, we can’t solve it without the biggest offenders leading the way. Guess who sits at the top of the list? True, China’s total emissions are higher today, but the US has contributed the most cumulative greenhouse gases, and also has higher per-capita emissions. In other words, we are both problem children (see below). So, a revived climate collaboration between the US and China could change the game.
Both countries are hustling to increase renewables, but experts agree it’s not happening fast enough. China’s situation is a bit of a dichotomy – they are building more clean energy capacity than any other country, but still rely heavily on coal. With 42% of global emissions coming from only two countries, the rest of the world is relying on us to step up to the plate.
A revived climate collaboration
Both countries signed the Paris Agreement in 2015, committing to cut heat-trapping emissions in half by 2030, and to net-zero by 2050. The only way to get there is through collaboration and accountability, especially among top emitters. But cooperation between the US and China had been languishing on life support for a while, until this week, when it suddenly jolted back to life.
Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, just visited the US for the first time in six years. One of items on the agenda for his meeting with President Biden was climate change. For months, diplomats from the two countries have been negotiating behind the scenes on a new and improved plan. The Sunnylands Statement spells out the details of the bilateral agreement.
In a nutshell, the US and China agree to:
- Triple renewable energy capacity by 2030
- Set goals to cut methane and nitrous oxide emissions (two uber-potent greenhouse gases)
- Develop a plan to end plastic pollution
- Implement regulations to stop and reverse deforestation by 2030
- Cooperate to reduce air pollution
Imagine a healthy competition between the two superpowers, where we push one another to decarbonize faster. When each country fully taps into the ingenuity of its people, it will catapult innovation forward. This plan has exciting potential, and would be mutually beneficial. I’m hopeful it will give us added momentum to reach our climate goals and preserve a livable planet.
Let’s do something about climate change. Learn about it. Think about it. Talk about it.