World

US, China climate envoys meet for talks

New climate envoys of the United States and China met for their first in-person talks in Washington and discussed action on climate with an emphasis on accelerating the next steps to be taken during this decade, amid trade tensions between the two countries.

The New York Times reported that the Biden administration’s top climate diplomat John Podesta and China’s special envoy for climate change Liu Zhenmin headed talks that began on May 8 and will continue Thursday (local time). Among the topics on the agenda are climate financing, efforts to reduce methane and other non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gas emissions, the White House said in a statement.

The development comes ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference or the Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC, commonly known as COP29 in Azerbaijan this November.

The Biden administration has issued a probe into Chinese-made electric vehicles, or EVs, and calls to increase tariffs on the import of solar panels from China to protect domestic producers.

In 2023, ahead of the COP28 in Dubai, US former Secretary of State, John Kerry and China’s former Climate Minister, Xie Zhenhua released the Sunnylands statement on Enhancing Cooperation to address the climate crisis.

It was the outcome of talks between Kerry and Xie in Beijing from July 16-19, 2023 and at Sunnylands in California from November 4- 7. In the declaration, the two countries agreed to jointly tackle global warming by ramping up wind, solar and other renewable energy with the goal of displacing fossil fuels.

According to Voice of America report, the climate envoys are likely to steer clear of electric vehicles as an area for climate cooperation because they have become a huge area of tension.

The Biden administration has said it would investigate Chinese-made digitally connected vehicles, citing potential national security risks and concerns over their capability to collect sensitive information about American users, VoA reported.

Podesta had earlier this year announced that the White House was setting up a new climate Climate and Trade Task Force, with three focus areas- addressing carbon leakage, carbon dumping, and to take steps internationally to promote common measurement and high standards on embodied emissions.

ANI

Ani service

Recent Posts

“India has right to defend herself against terror,” says German Foreign Minister, endorses Op Sindoor

Germany has come out resolutely behind India and its fight against terrorism under Operation Sindoor.…

7 hours ago

“Balochistan is an open-air prison, and world looks away”: Baloch leader Mehran Marri

Baloch leader Mehran Marri has accused Pakistan of unlawfully occupying Balochistan since 1948, transforming the…

7 hours ago

Trump administration to tighten AI chip export curbs to China despite Nvidia CEO’s pushback

The Trump administration announced on Wednesday that it will continue its efforts to prevent advanced…

10 hours ago

Jaishankar meets German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, conveys best wishes of PM Modi

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin on Friday…

11 hours ago

CTA concludes month-long campaign demanding justice for Panchen Lama, 30 years after disappearance

The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) launched a Month-long Panchen Lama Awareness Program aimed at educating…

12 hours ago

In Moscow, Indian envoy Vinay Kumar briefs all-party delegation on India-Russia ties

India's Ambassador to Russia, Vinay Kumar, on Friday, briefed the all-party parliamentary delegation, led by…

13 hours ago