China has been working closely with the US on a COP28 deal
China's climate envoy, Xie Zhenhua, said over the weekend that he’s been in the thick of discussions with the US and others at COP28.
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The backstory: For almost three decades, COP, or the Conference of the Parties, has been an annual UN climate conference tackling human-caused climate change. The goal is to get countries to work together to cut down greenhouse gas emissions. In 2015, a big milestone was reached with the Paris Agreement, setting global temperature limits and aiming for zero emissions by 2050. Now, at COP28, countries are taking stock of their climate efforts. One big issue is how to go about phasing out the use of fossil fuels.
China, the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases globally, is being cautious about completely getting rid of fossil fuels. Even though the world's second-largest economy said at COP26 that it would use less coal, it's been building more coal-fired power stations to make sure it has enough energy, although its solar and wind power capacity is also on the rise.
More recently: COP28 kicked off at Dubai's Expo City on November 30 and will wrap up on December 12, with intense talks on the issue of reducing fossil fuel use. The idea is to come up with a deal that everyone will sign off on. Right now, the UN mostly focuses specifically on coal, but over 100 countries want to expand limits to other fuels, which some oil-producing nations, like Saudi Arabia, are resisting.
The development: China's climate envoy, Xie Zhenhua, said over the weekend that he’s been in the thick of discussions with the US and others at COP28 to find common ground on language on fossil fuels that will lead to a successful agreement. At 74, he’s been a big part of global climate discussions for over 10 years. He has plans to retire after this year’s summit and is hoping to go out on a positive note. On Saturday, he said a potential solution could come from a recent agreement he reached with his US counterpart John Kerry in California. It connects a phase-down in fossil fuels with a faster switch to renewable energy sources. The relationship between the US and China is seen as crucial at these climate summits, and Xie emphasized the importance of sorting out these fossil fuel issues for a successful outcome this year.
Key comments:
“We hope to find a clear and correct future direction with good vibes and the greatest inclusiveness, so that everyone can accept and be satisfied with the results,” said Xie Zhenhua during a press briefing last week. “If we do not resolve this issue [on fossil fuels], I don’t see much chance in having a successful COP28.”
“There are so many issues to settle – 206 disputes in total,” said Xie. “We have to do subtraction, not addition. It is always easy to add but difficult and necessary to subtract.”
“We need to find consensus and common ground on fossil fuels, including coal,” said Sultan Al Jaber, the Emirati oil executive presiding over the COP28, on Sunday. “We need to also come to terms with the sources of finance and support” for adaptation and a just transition.
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