Opinion | How US-China competition in addressing climate change could benefit Southeast Asia
- Both countries face challenges in expanding climate cooperation: the US is beholden to domestic politics while China’s economic growth makes reducing emissions difficult
- There are also different forms of governance, styles of engagement and policy objectives involved, shaping Asean’s cooperation with both countries in different ways
The appointments of Xie Zhenhua, China’s former chief climate negotiator in 2015, and former US secretary of state John Kerry as special climate envoys is a positive sign that cooperation will advance. So far, the two countries have committed to co-chairing a G20 study group on climate-related financial risks. It remains to be seen whether more cooperation will be announced in the lead-up to COP26 in Glasgow.
The US accounts for 14.5 per cent of the world’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, while China accounts for 27.9 per cent. Together, the world’s two largest economies account for more than 40 per cent of global GHG emissions.
If the two powers are successful in implementing their national mitigation targets by mid-century and manage to cooperate in the development and deployment of advanced technologies, the world’s chances of slowing global warming will improve dramatically.
