US, China to cooperate on combatting climate change
China and the U.S., the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitters, announced an agreement late Tuesday to bolster renewables as part of an effort to replace fossil fuels.
Both countries intend to speed up renewable development through 2030 in order to “accelerate the substitution for coal, oil and gas generation,” according to their agreement.
They therefore anticipate planet-warming emissions from the power sector to peak this decade.
In addition, both countries committed to work together on reducing emissions of methane, nitrous oxide and hydrofluorocarbons — greenhouse gases that are less common but more potent than carbon dioxide.
The U.S. and China will seek to cut emissions economy-wide and include all greenhouse gases in their climate targets for 2035.
The agreement did not set emissions targets, but did represent a step toward climate collaboration for the two key nations.
It came ahead of a meeting today between President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping — the first meeting between the two leaders in about a year amid tensions on a variety of issues.
Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, we’re Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.
A federal appeals court has dismissed an effort from environmental groups to prevent an oil rights drilling auction from proceeding without protections for an endangered species of whale.
New York state sued PepsiCo on Wednesday in an effort to hold the soda-and-snack food giant partly responsible for litter that winds up in bodies of water supplying the city of Buffalo with drinking water.
While a strong El Niño will likely bring more snow and precipitation to part of the U.S. this winter, a new federal climate report suggests dependably snowy winters may be in jeopardy.
The House on Tuesday passed a stopgap bill to prevent a government shutdown, sending the unconventional two-step continuing resolution to the Senate and marking the first major hurdle Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has cleared since winning the gavel.
News we’ve flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics:
EU agrees law to curb methane emissions from fossil fuel industry (The Guardian)
Germany Backs Loans to Siemens Energy for Green Projects in $16 Billion Rescue Package (The New York Times)
On Tap
Upcoming news themes and events we’re watching:
The Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee will hold a business meeting on a range of bills.
A MESSAGE FROM BP
More lower carbon energy +keeping oil & gas flowing
bp’s US workforce – our largest in the world – is keeping oil and gas flowing and developing more lower carbon energy. It’s our “and, not or” approach at work.
A band of House conservatives tanked a procedural vote to advance an appropriations bill Wednesday, underscoring the problems Republicans are having in the government funding process. Read more