U.S. and China Sign Cooperation Agreement at COP26

The agreement has come as a happy surprise given the simmering geopolitical tensions between the two nations.

The framework agreement was announced by U.S. Climate envoy John Kerry and China’s Climate envoy Xie Zhenhua at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland. The agreement focuses on reducing methane emissions, phasing out coal use, and preserving forests, among other things.

“Together we set out our support for a successful COP26, including certain elements which will promote ambition,” said John Kerry during a news conference. “Every step matters right now and we have a long journey ahead of us.”

Xie did not commit China to the Global Methane Pledge, an initiative made by the United States and the European Union to reduce methane emissions by approximately a third. But he did announce that China would begin phasing out its coal consumption by the end of this decade.

“The release of this joint statement shows again that cooperation is the only choice for both China and the United States. By working together our two countries can achieve many important things that are beneficial not only to our two countries but the world as a whole,” Xie said. 

Greenpeace International Executive Director, Jennifer Morgan said in a statement “The climate crisis will only be solved if the US and China move toward the same goal of bringing emissions down in line with a 1.5°C trajectory as a matter of urgency,”

Original source material for this article taken from here