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Fred Teng

With the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (Cop29) under way in Baku, Azerbaijan, the global community stands at a pivotal moment in its fight against climate change. For years, international climate negotiations have hinged on cooperation between two of the largest emitters – the United States and China.
While China has steadily expanded its renewable energy capacity and strengthened its global influence in climate policy, the US faces a credibility crisis as political volatility undermines its leadership.
The spectre of the US potentially withdrawing from the Paris Agreement under a second Trump administration casts a shadow over the conference. This uncertainty risks derailing global climate progress and leaves many questioning the US’ role in the collective effort to address the most urgent crisis of our time.
The US’ commitment to international climate efforts has been marked by a series of dramatic reversals. In 2015, under president Barack Obama, the US played a pivotal role in securing the Paris Agreement, a landmark accord in which nearly 200 countries committed to limiting global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius. This was hailed as a triumph of diplomacy, symbolising unity against a common threat.
However, two years later, the Donald Trump administration announced the US’ withdrawal from the agreement, citing concerns over economic sovereignty. The decision sent shock waves through the international community, signalling a US retreat from global climate diplomacy. Hope was rekindled when US President Joe Biden re-entered the agreement in 2021 but the damage to US credibility lingered.
With the looming threat of another US withdrawal, the international community faces the prospect of further instability. A second exit from the Paris Agreement would not only erode trust but also weaken the collaborative framework needed to achieve global climate goals. Such a move would undermine the US’ ability to lead by example, a role it once embraced with vigour.

The stakes are particularly high at Cop29, where countries are negotiating financial commitments for post-2025 climate action. Developing nations, which are the most vulnerable to climate change, depend on resources promised by wealthier countries to transition to renewable energy and build resilience against climate-related disasters. These financial pledges are critical to bridging the gap between ambition and action.
Yet, the US’ credibility as a financial and diplomatic leader has been diminished. Other nations are left to question whether the US can be relied upon to honour long-term commitments. However, this uncertainty creates a vacuum that other global powers are beginning to fill.
While the US grapples with its internal challenges, China has emerged as a dominant force in renewable energy and climate diplomacy. Over the past decade, China has invested heavily in solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and electric vehicles, becoming the world’s largest manufacturer in each of these sectors. China is likely to meet its 2030 wind and solar energy targets six years ahead of schedule and is also on track to peak its carbon emissions sooner than expected.
China’s achievements have not gone unnoticed at Cop29, where many nations view it as a reliable partner in the transition to a greener future. Questions remain about China’s role in international climate finance but its consistent focus on renewable energy has made it a natural leader in the global effort to combat climate change.


For the US to regain its position as a global climate leader, it must be ambitious and consistent. Rebuilding trust requires not only staying in international agreements but also showing tangible progress at home. This includes doubling down on renewable energy investments, accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles, and enacting policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors.
The US also must fulfil its financial commitments to developing nations. This is not merely a matter of diplomacy but of equity. As one of the largest historical emitters, the US has a moral and practical obligation to support countries that are most vulnerable to the disasters of climate change. Meeting its commitments would show the US is serious about being a responsible leader and partner.
Domestic politics pose one of the greatest challenges to US climate leadership. The whiplash between administrations highlights the need for bipartisan support for climate action. Establishing durable policies that transcend party lines is critical to ensuring that the US remains a reliable player on the global stage.




The climate crisis is not a partisan issue – it is a global one. Both of the dominant US political parties must recognise that investing in renewable energy, strengthening infrastructure and reducing emissions are not only environmental imperatives but also opportunities to drive economic growth and innovation.
Cop29 is more than a conference; it reflects the world’s collective effort to address an existential threat. For the US, it is a chance to recommit to global leadership and show it can be a dependable ally in the fight against climate change. The path forward requires more than rhetoric; it demands action, consistency and collaboration.
Decisions made in Baku will shape the trajectory of climate action for years to come. As the world watches, the US has a chance to prove that it can rise to the challenge. By embracing its role as a leader and partner, the US can help chart a course toward a sustainable and equitable future for all. The time to act is now.


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Climate change

US must be consistent to reclaim climate leadership role from China

The sun sets on a windmill farm in McCook, Texas, on July 20, 2022. Photo: AP

A worker checks solar photovoltaic modules at a factory in Haian, Jiangsu province. Photo: AFP

Cop29 is Azerbaijan’s moment to step into the global sunshine

People walk near the Baku Olympic Stadium, the venue of the Cop29 UN climate change conference, in Baku, Azerbaijan, on October 18. Photo: Reuters

The old town of Baku, beside the Caspian Sea, in Azerbaijan is a car-free warren of historic mansions. Photo: Peter Neville-Hadley

The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. Photo: https://middlecorridor.com/en

Cop29 host tries to calm waters after diplomatic turmoil

Attendees arrive for the Cop29 UN climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Thursday. Photo: AP

French Minister for Ecological Transition, Energy, Climate and Risk Prevention Agnes Pannier-Runacher leaves after the weekly cabinet meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris on November 6. Photo: AFP

Argentina’s President Javier Milei gestures during a rally in Buenos Aires in September. Photo: Reuters

Warming world can hope for best, but prepare for worst with Trump

Global climate activists project powerful messages onto the Azerbaijan Embassy in London on November 7, 2024, ahead of the Cop29 summit in Baku. Photo: AP

Under Trump, the US will forfeit the global clean tech race to China

Workers produce offshore wind turbines in Fuqing in China’s Fujian province, on August 8. Photo: Xinhua

Workers set up photovoltaic panels at a clean energy industrial estate in Lingwu, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, on August 20. Photo: Xinhua

How feng shui can inspire China’s quest for environmental justice

An offshore wind farm in Tangshan City in north China’s Hebei province. After the city began promoting  the construction of wind and solar power plants, installed capacity of clean energy has reached 3.242 million kilowatts. Photo: Xinhua

A farmer walks near solar panels on her rooftop in the outskirts of Jinan, Shandong province, on March 21. Photo: AP

 Chinese President Xi Jinping inspects the wetlands in the Yellow River Delta at a national nature reserve in the city of Dongying in east China’s Shandong province on October 20, 202. Photo: Xinhua

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As China emerges as a climate leader, the US can still be a reliable partner by staying in global agreements and making progress at home


As China emerges as a climate leader, the US can still be a reliable partner by staying in global agreements and making progress at home.


Climate change diplomacy

China and climate change

Cop29

Green finance

Environment

Sustainability

Renewable energy

Solar energy

Wind energy

Electric & new energy vehicles

Business of climate change

Expresses the views, ideas and conclusions of the author. (Eg. Enough of Crazy Rich Asians, think of crazy poor Hongkongers.)


US must be consistent to reclaim climate leadership role from China

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}As China emerges as a climate leader, the US can still be a reliable partner by staying in global agreements and making progress at home

As China emerges as a climate leader, the US can still be a reliable partner by staying in global agreements and making progress at home