context: Ahead of COP29 (UN climate conference) in Baku, Azerbaijan in November, the PRC–US 2020s Enhanced Climate Action Working Group, co-chaired by Liu Zhenmin 刘振民 and John Podesta, convened in Beijing from 4–6 September. In a move that could be seen as a safeguard against potential shifts in climate policy under a possible Trump presidency, a local government roundtable was also held to bolster subnational cooperation on climate action.
An MEE (Ministry of Ecology and Environment) statement following the Working Group meeting highlights that both countries
- explore solutions to the climate crisis, focusing on the implementation of their 2030 nationally determined contributions and preparations for 2035
- welcomed the ongoing technical and policy exchanges under the Working Group, particularly within the four thematic areas: energy transition, methane emissions, circular economy and resource efficiency and low-carbon development in provinces, states, and cities
- reaffirmed their commitment to co-host the Methane and Other Non-CO2 Greenhouse Gas Summit with Azerbaijan during COP29 (UN climate conference)
- reiterated their pledge to halt and reverse forest loss by 2030
- expressed a commitment to further discussions on enforcing laws that prohibit illegal imports, while promoting global forest protection and sustainable management practices
- committed to strengthening their dialogue and collaborative efforts, working alongside other nations to support Azerbaijan’s COP29 presidency
- this includes advancing new collective quantitative targets and addressing key outcomes of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement
An NDRC (National Development and Reform Commission) statement notes that the PRC–US Local Climate Cooperation Roundtable took place in Beijing on 6 September. Local climate cooperation between the PRC and the US is making positive progress, remarks Zhao Chenxin 赵辰昕 NDRC Deputy director.
Zhao notes that the two sides would enhance cooperation according to follow-up work plans, encouraging all parties to seize the opportunity to strengthen mutual learning, deepen practical collaboration, broaden exchange dimensions and contribute more to global climate action. The readout specifies
- during the roundtable, representatives exchanged insights on the role of provinces, states and cities in local climate actions, focusing on energy conservation and carbon reduction in electricity, construction, transportation and improving energy efficiency in key industrial sectors
- local government representatives from Hainan, Guangdong, Jiangsu, California and Maryland, along with officials from China State Grid, Baowu Steel Group, GE Energy, Honeywell and other companies, shared case studies
- think tanks, including the NDRC Energy Research Institute, also participated
- representatives from Eugene, Oregon and Maui, Hawaii, as well as members of the American All-In Alliance and the US Climate Alliance, participated online.
- other local governments from Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, Shaanxi, Shandong, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macao Special Administrative Region were also involved in the discussions