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Opinion | If we can’t have cooperation in fighting climate change, let’s compete
- Rising US-China tension makes climate cooperation between the world’s two largest emitters unlikely, dashing global hopes
- But strategic climate rivalry, with the promise of global influence, more competitive industries and greater national wealth, may prove effective
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The United Nations has issued a stark new warning about global climate change – at current rates, our rapidly warming planet is on track for disaster. Avoiding a temperature rise of beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius now requires even more drastic action by the major greenhouse gas polluters.
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Unfortunately, multilateral approaches have achieved only modest emissions reductions. The UN has convened 27 high-level climate change conferences that have “called on” and “urged” nations to do more. These efforts have clearly not been enough. Since decades of scientific data, meetings and climate disasters have not spurred enough global government action, a more drastic approach is needed – strategic climate change rivalry.
Countries already compete economically and militarily because they see their wealth and fate inextricably linked to global influence, technological advances and, ultimately, survival. Combating climate change checks the same boxes.
What happens half a world away leads to less arable land, potable water and hydropower in China. Similarly, changes in the collective atmosphere lead to more devastating storms, fires, droughts and floods in the United States. Economic damage accelerates as these effects worsen.
Neither country can solve this alone, and neither Washington nor Beijing has found a way to cooperate on solutions. As China and the US, the world’s two largest emitters, make no headway on negotiating bilateral cuts, further negotiations amid rising tensions are unlikely to gain traction.
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Beijing and Washington can, however, compete for true 21st century leadership. Nations that take the lead in lowering their emissions and encouraging other countries to do so gain a strategic advantage.
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