China, U.S. to discuss climate deals

Xi, on his first state visit to the USA, will be hosted at the White House for a banquet on Friday. Obviously cutting emissions is going to be a hot topic.

This week’s announcement, both from the USA and China, follows up on that target, providing a plan to reach it. A cap-and-trade program would set a national limit in China on carbon emissions in the heavy-polluting industries of power generation, iron and steel, chemicals, and building materials and require companies to buy credits to pollute.

In addition to the important actions announced by China that establish a nationwide cap-and-trade system, green power sector reforms, and other policies, I welcome its commitment of $3.1 billion to help poorer countries meet the climate challenge.

The Chinese government has promised to invest $3.1bn in helping developing and vulnerable countries deal with the worst impacts of climate change, such as rising sea levels, floods and drought, in a move that has been hailed as a “watershed moment” in the run-up to the Paris climate change talks. This is truly a breakthrough moment for global climate protection, especially when combined with last week’s pledge by a number of Chinese cities to peak their CO2 emissions a decade ahead of the national target; those cities together account for more than a quarter of China’s urban emissions, equivalent to the total carbon dioxide emissions of Japan or Brazil.

Environmental campaigners hailed the announcement.

The momentum is growing internationally to address climate change.

Mr Obama, who has made climate change a signature issue of his presidency, announced the centrepiece of his plan this year.

“This is strong medicine”. He is the Developing Countries Climate Action Manager for the World Resources Institute. “It lays to rest the flawed argument that Chinese pollution is an excuse for United States inaction”. A set of climate agreements are expected to be announced on Friday. And we are not even the largest carbon producer anymore, China is.

“When the world’s two largest economies, energy consumers and carbon emitters come together like this, then there is no reason for other countries, whether developed or developing, to not do so as well”, Mr. Obama said.

Little progress is expected on contentious issues including cyber security and China’s territorial ambitions in South East Asia.

Xi’s opening remarks were less pointed, but he warned of the need for mutual respect of each other’s sovereign rights and the importance of economic cooperation.

United States cable-television networks were busy showing the Pope’s arrival live in New York instead of broadcasting Mr Xi’s welcoming ceremony, where he stood shoulder-to-shoulder with vice-president Joe Biden as a band played the two countries’ national anthems. “Let us work hand in hand with great resolve to write a new chapter in China-US relations”.