Beijing and Washington could reach an agreement on methane in Baku
By Tural Heybatov
Last week, the second meeting of the China-U.S. Working Group on Strengthening Climate Action in the 2020s took place in Beijing. The primary goal was to continue discussions on addressing the climate crisis. The meeting was co-chaired by China's Special Envoy for Climate Change, Liu Zhenmin, and U.S. President's Senior Advisor on International Climate Policy, John Podesta.
According to Chinese media reports, the meeting focused on the implementation of the two countries' Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) up to 2030 and preparations for new targets through 2035. Both sides welcomed the technical and political exchanges already held within the working group, including discussions on the energy transition, methane reduction, the circular economy, efficient resource use, and the development of low-carbon and sustainable provinces/states and cities. Representatives from China and the U.S. emphasized the importance of continuing these exchanges.
The two powers also confirmed their readiness to co-host a Methane and Other Non-CO2 Greenhouse Gases Summit at COP29 in Baku, in collaboration with Azerbaijan, which will chair the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29). Both sides committed to further strengthening dialogue, expanding joint efforts, and collaborating with other nations to support Azerbaijan’s presidency in ensuring the success of COP29.
It is worth recalling that the creation of the China-U.S. Working Group on Climate Crisis was announced ahead of a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden in San Francisco. The group focuses on key issues such as methane emissions, plastic pollution, and the energy transition.
At a press conference in Beijing, following his meetings with Liu Zhenmin and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, John Podesta announced that the U.S. and China plan to hold a bilateral climate summit to discuss efforts to reduce methane and other harmful emissions. He also stated that the two countries had a very productive discussion on the upcoming COP29, which will take place in Baku in November. They also discussed preparations for the early submission of ambitious climate targets for 2035 to the UN early next year.
In 2021, China and the U.S., the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitters, surprised many by signing a declaration on climate cooperation at the Glasgow climate conference. China's Chief Climate Negotiator, Xie Zhenhua, told reporters that when it comes to climate issues, the U.S. and China have more common ground than differences.
The 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29), which will be held in November in Baku, arrives at a critical time when the need to move from words to action is widely recognized. The Methane and Other Greenhouse Gases Summit, co-hosted by the U.S. and China under Azerbaijan’s COP29 presidency, is expected to be a key event. Judging by the number of participants and the issues to be discussed, the summit in Baku promises to be both intense and crucial.
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