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Biden urges China, other major economies to step up climate action, as US and EU join global methane cuts pledge
- Virtual major economies forum sees Biden call on attendees to ‘challenge ourselves to do more’ on clean energies and carbon goals
- China a notable absentee from 13 inaugural members of Global Methane Pledge Energy Pathway agreed upon at the forum
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US President Joe Biden pressed a gathering of the world’s major economies, including China, to step up climate action on Friday, as his government unveiled new plans to combat methane emissions.
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At a virtual convening of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate, Biden urged delegates to ramp up investment in clean energies, accelerate efforts to decarbonise the automotive and shipping industries, and improve energy security.
“[Let’s] challenge ourselves to do more, because we can,” Biden said in opening remarks.
Among those attending were heads of state from Germany, Canada, Australia, Argentina, the United Arab Emirates and Japan. China was represented at the ministerial level by chief climate negotiator Xie Zhenhua.
Among the outcomes of the gathering was an agreement by the US, European Union and other countries to further tackle global methane emissions, by combating leaks in the oil and gas industry and winding down “flaring” – where excess natural gas is burned during the oil extraction process.
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