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In the lead-up to the Group of 20 summit in Brazil and the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in November 2024, President Biden's top climate envoy, John Podesta, traveled to Beijing in September 2024 to meet with Chinese climate official Liu Zhenmin. The meetings, held from September 4 to 6, sought to make progress on one of the world's most pressing issues: U.S.-China cooperation on climate change.
Podesta's visit marked his second meeting with Chinese officials since stepping into his role as Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy in early 2024, replacing John Kerry’s previous position. His trip was tasked with pushing China to enact more aggressive policies against climate change. With the impending 2024 presidential election, these talks come at a critical time. The outcome of Podesta’s meeting will largely impact the Group of 20 and COP29 discussions as former President Trump has “vowed to once again pull out of the Paris deal if he takes the White House in January.” The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change adopted by 196 countries with a goal to “hold ‘the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels’ and pursue efforts ‘to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.”’
A Trump victory in the presidential race would likely dismantle U.S. involvement in global climate efforts, leaving future negotiations on shaky ground. In contrast, Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to maintain the Biden administration's strong emphasis on climate action. Senior White House Communications Director Ben LaBolt, speaking at Climate Week, underscored the administration's dedication to addressing climate change. He reiterated, “If we want to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, we must stay on course. There’s no room for delay.” LaBolt also pointed out that congressional Republicans’ efforts to undermine climate policy—through budget resolutions and other legislative maneuvers—could harm not only the environment but also American families and the economy.
While U.S. domestic politics will play a critical role, international cooperation is essential for making significant progress on climate goals. China, which emits more carbon dioxide than any country other than the U.S., must cut its emissions by at least 30% by 2035 to meet the Paris Agreement standards. During the meetings in Beijing, both nations discussed how they can help each other to construct more ambitious 2030 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), as China met theirs ahead of schedule. Under the Paris Agreement, all countries are required to submit updated NDCs every five years, with the next submission due in early 2025.
One key focus for the U.S. in Podesta’s September 2024 talks was securing China's support for the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), a part of the Paris Agreement. The NCQG aims to increase funding for developing countries to help them transition away from fossil fuels. This financial assistance is critical for addressing the challenges many nations face in decarbonizing their economies, especially those that lack sufficient resources to fund such transitions on their own.
Despite differing approaches to tackling climate change, the U.S. and China found common ground on climate finance issues, including on the NCQG. In a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Podesta reflected, “Notwithstanding some friction in our bilateral relationship, we can find places to collaborate for the good of our people and the good of our climate.” This cooperation also led to an agreement to co-host a summit addressing non-CO2 gases such as methane, nitrous oxide, and hydrofluorocarbons, marking a shift from the usual focus on carbon dioxide in climate talks. Wang agreed with Podesta's remarks, saying their conversations sent “a positive signal to the outside world that as two major powers, China and the United States not only need to cooperate but can indeed work together.” However, China opted not to join the campaign led by the European Union and the U.S., intended to reduce methane emissions by 30% from 2020 levels by 2030. Methane remains a significant challenge for China as they are where coal mining, one of the largest sources of methane, continues to dominate energy production.
Podesta’s visit to Beijing marked a significant move towards reinforcing U.S.-China climate diplomacy. Despite ongoing challenges, especially concerning emissions targets and financial obligations, both nations understand the necessity of collaboration in addressing the global climate crisis. The progress made in these talks may shape the future of international climate policy as the world looks ahead to COP29 in November 2024.
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