China, U. S. reach deal
World’s biggest polluters pledge to work together to reduce emissions
The world’s two biggest polluters have signed what could be a groundbreaking agreement on the fight against escalating climate change.
WASHINGTON — The world’s two biggest polluters have signed what could be a groundbreaking agreement and “call to action” on the fight against escalating climate change.
The United States and China announced Sunday they would accelerate action to reduce greenhouse gases by advancing cooperation on technology, research, conservation, and alternative and renewable energy.
But while the listed actions sound relatively mundane, the words that accompanied the announcement were not. In a joint and quite powerful statement on the dangers of climate change, the two sides said they “consider that the overwhelming scientific consensus regarding climate change constitutes a compelling call to action crucial to having a global impact on climate change.”
The statement recognizes an “urgent need to intensify global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions … is more critical than ever.” It goes on to say, “Such action is crucial both to contain climate change and to set the kind of powerful example that can inspire the world.”
The two sides state that manmade climate change is having “worsening impacts, including the sharp rise in global average temperatures over the past century, the alarming acidification of our oceans, the rapid loss of Arctic sea ice, and the striking incidence of extreme weather events occurring all over the world.”
Alden Meyer, spokesman for the influential Union of Concerned Scientist in the United States, said the agreement “is potentially a very significant development, coming as it does from the world’s two biggest economies and greenhouse gas emitters.”
He said that by “pledging to set the kind of powerful example that can inspire the world, the joint statement certainly raises expectations that both the U. S. and China will move more forcefully to confront the threat of climate change.”
The agreement could impact Canada and the growth of the oilsands where companies predict their expansion will triple their greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. This expansion is largely dependent on the building of pipelines such as the Keystone XL to Texas.
If the U. S. and China significantly ratchet up the level of climate action, “that would give the lie to the Harper government’s claims that its policies are in line with those of other developed countries,” Meyer said.