President Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping ratified a sweeping agreement to curb carbon emissions, accelerating the path toward implementation of the 200-nation accord that the world leaders hope to achieve by the end of the year. “This is not a fight that any one country, no matter how powerful, can take alone…”
Advertisement
To fulfill its commitment to the Paris climate pact, China will have to cut its carbon emissions per unit of GDP by 60-65 percent by 2030 from 2005 levels, increase non-fossil fuel sources in primary energy consumption to about 20 percent and peak its carbon emissions by 2030, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
After several hours of talks, the White House said Obama told Xi the US would keep monitoring China’s commitments on cybersecurity. “These efforts, among many others in Oakland and beyond, are demonstrating that we are up to the challenge of climate change, and will succeed in protecting our planet for generations to come”. For his part, Xi told Obama that China objects to the deployment of a USA missile shield in South Korea to help protect against the North Korean nuclear threat.
Sunday, Obama is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Erdogan, where they will have their first discussions in the aftermath of a failed coup attempt in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ally’s country in July, as well as their collaboration in the counter-ISIL campaign and efforts to promote greater stability in Syria, including the response to the continuing refugee crisis.
White House climate adviser Brian Deese said that because the United States and China together represent 40 per cent of global emissions it will put the world on a path to full implementation of the agreement.
China’s Parliament ratified the agreement earlier on Saturday, and Mr. Xi said the Asian giant was “solemnly” committed to the issue.
But the welcome didn’t go smoothly.
A confrontation between a White House aide and a Chinese official, and other diplomatic dust-ups were out in the open from the moment Air Force One landed in Hangzhou, site of an economic summit. The two countries have made little progress reconciling their differences over human rights and Chinese cyber spying, issues the White House said Obama planned to raise. “This is our airport”. The results have been mixed.
Climate represents a more certain piece of his legacy.
The Paris agreement will require the support of 55 nations accounting for 55 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions before it enters into force legally.
Xi said he acted after China’s legislature voted Saturday to formally enter the agreement. As of Saturday morning, the agreement had about 20 other small countries ratifying the deal.
Advertisement
Xi said on Saturday that in order to take full advantage of the implementation of the Paris Agreement the worldwide community should make a greater effort to improve global governance mechanism and innovation on relevant.
