On 15 November, China and the United States issued the Sunnyside Statement on Strengthening Cooperation to Address the Climate Crisis, the full text of which is below:
Sunnyside Statement on Strengthening Cooperation to Address the Climate Crisis
Revisiting the meeting between President Xi Jinping and President Joseph Biden in Bali, Indonesia, the United States and China reaffirmed their commitment to cooperating and working with other countries to address the climate crisis. To that end, Xie Zhenhua, China’s Special Envoy for Climate Change Affairs, and John Kerry, U.S. Presidential Special Envoy for Climate Issues, met in Beijing, 16-19 July 2023, and Sunnyvale, California, 4-7 November 2023, and issued the following statement:
I. China and the United States recall, reaffirm, and are committed to the further effective and sustained implementation of the April 2021 U.S.-China Joint Statement on Responding to the Climate Crisis and the November 2021 U.S.-China Glasgow Joint Declaration on Enhanced Climate Action in the 21st Century 2020s.
Second, China and the United States recognise that the impact of the climate crisis on countries around the world is becoming increasingly significant. In the face of warnings from the best available science, such as the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the two countries are committed to the effective implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, reflecting the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, and taking into account their different national circumstances, and to limiting the increase in global average temperatures, as stated in Article 2 of the Paris Agreement, to less than 2 degrees Celsius and endeavouring to limit it to 1.5°C, including efforts to keep 1.5°C achievable, in accordance with article 2 of the Paris Agreement, and to fulfil the purpose of that Agreement.
Third, the United States and China are committed to the effective implementation of the Paris Agreement and its decisions, including the Glasgow Climate Agreement and the Sharm el-Sheikh Implementation Plan. Both countries emphasise that the Convention’s 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) is critical to meaningfully addressing the climate crisis in this critical decade and beyond. They recognised the important role of both countries in implementing the objectives of the Paris Agreement and promoting multilateralism, both in terms of domestic responses and joint cooperative action. For the sake of present and future generations of humankind, the two countries will work together and with other parties to the Convention and the Paris Agreement to confront one of the world’s most daunting challenges today.
China and the United States have decided to launch the “Working Group on Enhanced Climate Action for the 21st Century and 2020s” to engage in dialogue and cooperation to accelerate concrete climate action in the 21st century and 2020s. The Working Group will focus on areas of cooperation identified in the Joint Statement and Joint Declaration, including energy transition, methane, circular economy and resource efficiency, low-carbon sustainable provinces/states and cities, deforestation, and other topics as mutually agreed. The Working Group will exchange information on policies, measures and technologies to control and reduce emissions, share their respective experiences, identify and implement co-operative projects, and assess the implementation of the Joint Statement, the Joint Declaration and this Statement. The Working Group will be co-led by the Special Envoys for Climate Change of the two countries, with the participation of officials from relevant ministries and government agencies of the two countries in an appropriate manner.
V. China and the United States will focus on accelerating the following concrete actions, especially practical and tangible cooperation programmes and projects, before COP28 and thereafter under the Working Group.
Energy Transformation
VI. In the critical decade of the 21st century and 2020s, the two countries support efforts to triple global installed renewable energy capacity by 2030, as outlined in the G-20 Leaders’ Declaration, and plan to accelerate renewable energy deployment in both countries sufficiently from 2020 levels by 2030 to accelerate the substitution of coal, oil, and gas for electricity generation, which can be expected to result in meaningful absolute reductions in power sector emissions after peaking.
The two sides agreed to relaunch the U.S.-China Energy Efficiency Forum to deepen policy exchanges on energy conservation and carbon reduction in key areas such as industry, buildings, transport and equipment.
China and the United States plan to relaunch the bilateral energy policy and strategic dialogue to carry out exchanges on mutually agreed topics, promote Track II activities, and strengthen practical cooperation.
The two countries aim to promote at least five large-scale cooperation projects on carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) in the industrial and energy sectors by 2030.
Methane and other non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gas emissions
X. Both countries will implement their respective national methane action plans and plan to refine further measures as appropriate.
XI. The two countries will immediately initiate cooperation in technical working groups for policy dialog, exchange of technical solutions and capacity building to develop their own methane emission reduction actions/targets incorporating their nationally owned contributions to 2035 based on their respective national methane action plans and to support the progress of their respective methane emission reductions/controls.
XII. The two countries plan to cooperate on their respective measures to manage nitrous oxide emissions.
xiii.The two countries plan to work together under the Kigali Amendment to phase down HFCs and commit to ensuring that all refrigeration equipment produced adopts robust minimum energy efficiency standards.
Circular economy and resource efficiency
Recognizing the important role of circular economy development and resource efficiency in addressing the climate crisis, the relevant government departments of the two countries plan to conduct a policy dialogue on these topics as soon as possible, and to support enterprises, universities, and research institutes of the two sides to carry out exchanges, discussions, and cooperative projects.
China and the United States are determined to put an end to plastic pollution and will work with all parties to develop a legally binding international instrument on plastic pollution (including plastic pollution in the marine environment).
Local Cooperation
China and the United States will support provincial, state, and city climate cooperation in areas such as electricity, transportation, construction, and waste. The two sides will promote the active participation of local governments, businesses, think tanks and other relevant parties in the cooperation. The two countries will conduct policy dialogues, share best practices, exchange information, and promote project cooperation through agreed upon regular meetings.
XVII. China and the United States plan to organize a high-level event on local climate action in the first half of 2024.
XVIII. The two sides welcome and appreciate the local cooperation that has already taken place between the two countries and encourage practical climate cooperation between provinces, states and cities.
Forest
The Parties commit to further efforts to halt and reverse forest decline by 2030, including through the full implementation and effective enforcement of their respective laws prohibiting illegal imports through regulatory and policy instruments. The parties’ plans include discussions under the Working Group to share ways to enhance efforts to strengthen the implementation of this commitment.
Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollutant Emission Reduction Synergies
XX. The two countries plan to cooperate to promote relevant policy measures and technology deployment to enhance synergistic control of GHGs and air pollutant emissions such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and other tropospheric ozone precursors.
Nationally Owned Contributions in 2035
XXI. Reaffirming the nationally owned nature of the Nationally Owned Contributions (NOCs), recalling Article 4.4 of the Paris Agreement, the 2035 NOCs of both countries will be economy-wide, including all greenhouse gases (GHGs), and the emission reductions embodied therein will be consistent with the Paris Temperature Goal of holding the increase in global average temperature below 2°C and striving to limit it to 1.5°C.
COP28
China and the United States, together with the United Arab Emirates, will invite countries to participate in the Methane and Non-carbon Dioxide Greenhouse Gas Summit at COP28.
China and the United States will actively participate in the first global stocktaking of the Paris Agreement, which is an important opportunity for Parties to look back on the strengths, implementation, and cooperation to meet the Paris Agreement’s temperature control goal of limiting the increase in global average temperatures to less than 2°C and striving to limit it to 1.5°C, consistent with the Parties’ determination to keep the 1.5°C temperature control goal achievable.
XXIV. The two countries are committed to working together and with other Parties to reach a global stocktaking decision by consensus. The two countries believe that the decision:
-should reflect substantial positive progress towards the goals of the Paris Agreement, including that it has catalysed action by Parties and non-Party stakeholders, and that the world is in a significantly better position with respect to the temperature rise trajectory than it would have been without the Agreement
-Equity should be considered and the best available science, including the latest IPCC report, should be consulted;
-should be balanced across thematic areas, including retrospective and responsive elements, and consistent with the design of the Paris Agreement
-Should reflect the need to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement in the context of different national circumstances, with a significant increase in ambition and implementation in terms of action and support;
-Signals should be sent in terms of energy transition (renewables, coal/oil/gas), carbon sinks such as forests, non-CO2 gases such as methane, and low-carbon technologies;
-Recognising the nationally determined nature of nationally owned contributions and recalling Article 4.4 of the Paris Agreement, economy-wide nationally owned contributions in 2035 should be encouraged to cover all greenhouse gases;
-Should reflect the critical importance of adaptation, supported by a strong decision to present a robust global framework of adaptation goals – Accelerated adaptation, including the development of goals/targets to enhance the effectiveness of adaptation; the provision of early early warning systems; and strengthening adaptation efforts in key areas (e.g. food, water, infrastructure, health and ecosystems);
-Should note that developed countries expect to achieve the USD 100 billion climate finance target by 2023 and reiterate its urging of developed country Parties to at least double their funding for adaptation; look forward to the adoption by COP29 of a new collective quantitative funding target; and align financial flows with the Paris Agreement targets;
-The recommendation of the Transitional Committee to establish financial arrangements to address loss and damage, including the establishment of a fund for this purpose, should be welcomed and appreciated;
-The important role of international cooperation should be emphasised, including the fact that the global nature of the climate crisis calls for the broadest possible cooperation, which is a key enabler for the achievement of robust mitigation actions and climate resilient development.
xxv. China and the United States are committed to further strengthening dialogue, collaborative efforts, and support for the UAE Presidency’s successful hosting of COP28.
