Following trips from Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, US climate envoy John Kerry is the latest top official from the Biden administration to be dispatched to China.
Kerry arrived in China on Sunday for “in-depth” climate change talks with his counterparts in the Chinese government, namely Xie Zhenhua. The US State Department said the two sides, the two largest economies, renewable energy investors, and carbon emitters in the world, would address the climate crisis, including “increasing implementation and ambition and promoting a successful COP28”, referring to the next United Nations climate change conference, to be held in Dubai in December.
If China and the US could move forward on climate action, many see that as a bellwether as to whether the rest of the planet follows. Though Kerry’s visit is significant, no true “breakthroughs” are expected.
“I don’t think they’re going to want to seem like John Kerry came there and told them what to do,” said Michael Greenstone, an economics professor at the University of Chicago, told The New York Times.
One possible outcome is that both countries agree to make bilateral meetings on climate more regularly. Experts say that would be an optimal outcome and could smooth the way for that Dubai summit. That seems to be a running theme with the recent meetings with Biden officials: the talks are more about laying the groundwork for future collaboration as opposed to striking deals in the present.
