U.S. climate envoy heads to Beijing as world's top polluters look for ... - The Japan Times
U.S. climate envoy heads to Beijing as world’s top polluters look for ways to stem crisis | The Japan Times
Amid elevated tensions between the U.S. and China, and as heat waves, flooding and forest fires made worse by global warming rattle the globe, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry is set to arrive in Beijing as the world’s top two polluters seek ways to cooperate.
“It is imperative that China and the United States find a way to cooperate with respect to the climate crisis,” Kerry said in a May interview on MSNBC, adding that his initial invitation from climate counterpart Xie Zhenhua was put on hold due to tensions over self-ruled Taiwan.
Kerry will likely hold talks with Xie during his visit.
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