COP26 Ends with Limited Agreement... Will US-China Climate Accord Drive Change?

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] Amid criticisms that the recently concluded 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) yielded insufficient results, the United States and China have attracted attention by reaching a 'surprise agreement' centered on cooperation in responding to climate change.

With experts warning that a global climate catastrophe is becoming a reality, there is growing interest in whether this bilateral agreement can bring about change.

Earlier, on the 10th (local time), Xie Zhenhua, China's climate envoy, issued a joint statement with U.S. authorities, saying, "Both countries recognize the gap between the Paris Agreement and current efforts, and have agreed to jointly strengthen climate action."

In the joint statement, the U.S. and China agreed to work together to reduce methane emissions. China emphasized its commitment to develop a comprehensive and ambitious plan by next year.

This bilateral agreement came amid criticisms that COP26, which ended on the 12th, left unfinished tasks.

At COP26, the Global Methane Pledge, which specifies reducing methane gas emissions by at least 30% from 2020 levels by 2030, revealed a reaffirmed divide between developed and developing countries. China, India, and Russia did not sign the Global Methane Pledge, led by the U.S. and the EU. Australia also abstained.

Additionally, major coal users such as China, India, and the U.S., the world's top three coal-consuming countries, did not participate in the coal phase-out agreement.

While the agreement between China and the U.S., the world's first and second largest carbon emitters, to cooperate on climate change raises expectations for tangible progress in carbon reduction, criticisms highlighting persistent uncertainties have also been raised.

John Kerry, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate
Photo by AP News

Greenpeace's China branch stated, "(This agreement) will prevent the worst-case scenario," but added, "If asked whether this was the best possible negotiation, the answer would be 'no.'"

Particularly, the joint statement by the U.S. and China faced criticism for falling short of expectations.

Frans Timmermans, the European Union's Executive Vice President for Climate Action, pointed out that the U.S.-China joint statement "is far less ambitious compared to the EU's existing plan to reduce carbon emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to the 1990s."

Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, a climate expert at the NGO WWF, criticized the joint statement for lacking specific carbon reduction deadlines.

Ultimately, it has been pointed out that for the U.S.-China joint statement to yield substantive results, both countries must demonstrate their commitments through action.

Previously, on April 18, the U.S. and China also issued a joint statement pledging cooperation on climate change response.

However, the two countries failed to show cooperative efforts in climate change response to the extent that the April joint statement seemed ineffective.

In fact, Chinese President Xi Jinping did not attend COP26 and instead shifted the responsibility for climate change onto developed countries.

Nevertheless, some voices suggest that this agreement has laid the groundwork for the U.S. and China to begin full-scale cooperation.

John Podesta, former White House climate advisor during the Barack Obama administration, emphasized, "This joint statement provided an opportunity for the U.S. and China to put down their swords aimed at each other and seek cooperation on climate change issues at a technical level."

He added, "At least for now, we are moving in the right direction."

Especially as the G20 summit held just before COP26 effectively failed to reach an agreement on climate change response, there are forecasts that the U.S.-China joint statement could act as a catalyst for international cooperation.

Byford Chang, climate policy advisor at think tank E3G, said, "Most of it is symbolic declarations, but what the U.S. and China are saying is that they will no longer argue. Now they can focus on substantive negotiations, creating space for more ambitious outcomes."

Special Envoy for Climate of China, Xie Zhenhua [Photo by Yonhap News]

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.