China, US vow to work together on climate issues, but American election may alter path

US climate envoy Podesta says both sides still have differences on issues such as climate finance and carbon emissions

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets US climate envoy John Podesta in Beijing on September 6. Wang said the climate dialogue sent “a positive signal to the outside world”. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 6:57pm, 9 Sep 2024Updated: 8:44pm, 9 Sep 2024

Climate envoys from China and the United States have pledged to work together to narrow differences on critical issues such as climate finance and non-carbon dioxide emissions after another round of talks in Beijing amid uncertainties over the US presidential election.

Despite a lack of breakthroughs, US climate envoy John Podesta, who wrapped up his first China visit on Friday, said he had held “excellent discussions” with Chinese counterpart Liu Zhenmin and China’s top diplomat Wang Yi.

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In similarly worded statements issued by both sides on Sunday, Beijing and Washington “reaffirmed their intention to jointly host” a summit to tackle methane and other non-CO2 gases at the Cop29 United Nations climate talks in Baku, Azerbaijan, in November.

Podesta and Liu also agreed to “further strengthen dialogue” and make “collaborative efforts” to help make Cop29 a success and “to enforce their respective laws on banning illegal imports, and promote global forest conservation and sustainable management”.

Li Shuo, director of China Climate Hub at the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI), said that while talks between the world’s two largest greenhouse gas emitters climate dialogue were important, expectations were low for the visit, largely because of the US elections in November.

“As expected, there was no major shift in position, but some mutual understanding on finance and [emissions of] non-CO2 gases,” he said. “The overall sense is positive and the two sides wanted to keep climate engagement.”