Analysis | What the US-China climate deal means to the world
The world’s outlook for reaching a global climate deal next year brightened as China and the US - the top two polluters - presented a joint plan to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.
The world’s outlook for reaching a global climate deal next year brightened on Wednesday as China and the US - the top two polluters - presented a joint plan to reduce emissions of the heat-trapping greenhouse gases that are blamed for warming the planet.
The unexpected move was praised worldwide as a historic step in the fight against climate change, though some analysts said the targets aren’t ambitious enough to prevent global warming from reaching dangerous levels.
The announcements from the American and Chinese presidents, Barack Obama and Xi Jinping, drew praise from environmentalists who had feared China’s desire for fast growth and Obama’s weakened political standing might prevent such action.
They were a less welcome surprise for US Republicans, who will take control of Congress next year. They pointed out that the deal lets China keep increasing emissions while US has to cut.
Here are some questions and answers about the significance of the announcement and the challenges that lie ahead for the United States and China - and for the rest of the world - as they negotiate an elusive climate pact that’s supposed to be adopted in Paris next year.
What did China and the US announce?
