Opinion | US-China climate change cooperation sparks optimism, but addiction to fossil fuels remains strong

Sino-US relations are at their lowest point in more than half a century. The two countries disagree on just about everything, but there is one topic on which they still seem to agree – climate change.

Shortly after last month’s rancorous meeting between Chinese and American diplomats in Alaska, China’s Foreign Ministry announced the two sides would start a climate “working group”. Not long thereafter, US President Joe Biden invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to participate in this month’s virtual Leaders Summit on Climate, to be held on Earth Day.

Together, China and the United States account for more than 40 per cent of global carbon emissions. At first glance, there appears to be reason for some optimism that they recognise the urgency to act swiftly to bring down those emissions.

On his first day in the White House, Biden reversed many of the Trump administration’s most damaging climate policies. He has returned the US to the Paris Agreement and pledged that the country would cut its greenhouse gas pollution substantially. His US$2 trillion infrastructure plan will be skewed towards reducing US reliance on fossil fuels.

Meanwhile, Xi has said climate change is a high priority for China, both domestically and internationally. He has declared China will become an “ecological civilisation” and will achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. China already leads the world in the production of solar panels and alternative energy transport.