The Ministry of Ecology and Environment

The Working Group on Enhancing Climate Action in the 2020s between China and the US was launched on Friday via video conference. The meeting was co-chaired by Xie Zhenhua, China's special envoy for climate change, and John Kerry, US special presidential envoy for climate, according to China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment. 

Other officials from both China and the US have attended the meeting and both sides praised the successful launch of the working group. They also engaged in in-depth and friendly discussions on key areas of cooperation, including energy transition, methane, circular economy, low-carbon provinces or states and cities, the ministry said.

The two sides have agreed to continue close communication, exchanges, and mutual learning, and carry out practical cooperation under the working group mechanism, in accordance with the consensus of the Sunnylands Statement on Enhancing Cooperation to Address the Climate Crisis.

Solar panels are arrayed over a modern fishery industrial park in Donghai county, East China’s Jiangsu Province, on April 9, 2023. Photo: cnsphoto

Xie and Kerry met in Beijing from July 16 to 19, 2023 and in Sunnylands, California from November 4 to 7, 2023 and released the Sunnylands Statement, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
In the statement, China and the US decided to operationalize the working group, to engage in dialogue and cooperation to accelerate concrete climate actions in the 2020s. 

The working group will carry out dialogue related to policies, measures, and technologies for controlling and reducing emissions, share their respective experiences, identify and implement cooperative projects, and evaluate the implementation of relevant statements and declaration, according to the statement. 

Meanwhile, due to health reasons, Xie Zhenhua has stepped down as special envoy for climate change with the approval of the Chinese central authorities. Liu Zhenmin, former vice minister of Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has been appointed as the new special envoy for climate change, according to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

Global Times