US, China urged to align on climate issues over fears for clean energy progress - South China Morning Post
US, China urged to align on climate issues over fears for clean energy progress | South China Morning Post
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US, China urged to align on climate issues over fears for clean energy progress
- ‘I very much hope that in the COP28 coming through, US and China … would leave aside their tensions – geopolitical and economic,’ said IEA chief
- Birol said the world was moving too slowly to meet the goals to limit global warming that the international community approved in Paris in 2015
The head of the International Energy Agency on Monday urged the United States and China to align on key issues at the COP28 climate summit later this year, warning that “geopolitical fractures” risk holding back the switch to clean energy.
“I very much hope that in the COP28 coming through, US and China, two largest emitters, would leave aside their tensions – geopolitical and economic,” Fatih Birol told Agence France-Presse in an interview on the sidelines of the Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, Kenya.
He called on the two global powers to “come closer” on climate.
“When I look at the future of energy and climate, I see that the best and most optimistic agenda is that clean energy is set to dominate the game,” he said.
Chinese and US climate envoys renew talks in lead-up to COP28
But he said the world was moving too slowly to meet the goals to limit global warming that the international community approved in Paris in 2015.
Birol, the IEA’s executive director, said that in general international rifts, partly stoked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, are “becoming more and more pronounced”.
These rifts are casting a “big shadow” because “international collaboration between the major players will be much more challenging”.
The UN climate conference being held in the oil-rich United Arab Emirates in November-December is likely to be dominated by clashing visions for energy.
Related Knowledge Center: Climate diplomacy
Talks are well underway in preparation for the next major international meeting on climate change, 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28), scheduled to begin Nov. 30 in the United Arab Emirates.
Much like last year’s COP27, finances — specifically, aid to developing nations — will be at the center of conference deliberations.
The conference faces an even greater sense of urgency brought on by the Sept. 8, 2023, release of the first global stocktake, which calls for accelerated action to meet the goals set in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement (COP21).
Climate diplomacy: COP 27 | Climate diplomacy: COP 28 | Climate diplomacy: COP 29