According to CGTN, the talks between the US special envoy for climate change, John Kerry, and his Chinese counterpart, Xie Zhenhua, focus on issues such as reducing methane emissions, limiting the use of coal, reducing deforestation and aid to poor countries.
The meetings mark the resumption of formal communications on climate change after their suspension last year following the controversial visit to Taiwan by Nancy Pelosi, then speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. Prior to his arrival in Beijing, Kerry assured that the two largest economies in the world had the opportunity to face this phenomenon jointly and constructively.
As part of their agenda, both parties will promote a successful COP28, in reference to the UN Climate Change Conference scheduled to be held in the United Arab Emirates in November and December of this year.
Indeed, that event will be the first formal assessment of countries’ progress toward the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting climate change to 1.5 degrees Celsius (34.7 Fahrenheit) of warming.
The visit comes at a time when heat waves – associated with climate change – are showing historic numbers around the world, particularly in China, the United States and Europe.
Kerry is the third senior official from Joe Biden’s administration to arrive in the Asian giant in less than two months, an issue that experts interpret as an attempt by both sides to ease deteriorating bilateral ties.
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