E-Paper
US and China agree to triple renewable energy capacity globally by 2030
US and China, two of the largest emitters, have agreed to triple renewable energy capacity globally by 2030 in line with the intention expressed in the G20’s New Delhi Declaration issued this September.
US and China, two of the largest emitters, have agreed to triple renewable energy capacity globally by 2030 in line with the intention expressed in the G20’s New Delhi Declaration issued this September.
They have also suggested that their emissions from the power sector will peak during this decade. China is the largest emitter followed by the US and India based on 2019 data compiled by World Resources Institute.
Both countries “support the G20 Leaders Declaration to pursue efforts to triple renewable energy capacity globally by 2030 and intend to sufficiently accelerate renewable energy deployment in their respective economies through 2030 from 2020 levels so as to accelerate the substitution for coal, oil and gas generation,” they said in a joint statement titled “Sunnylands Statement on Enhancing Cooperation to Address the Climate Crisis” released on Tuesday.
They also anticipate post-peaking emission reduction from the power sector during this decade.
US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and China Special Envoy for Climate Change Xie Zhenhua met in Beijing from 16 to 19 July 2023 and at Sunnylands, California, from 4 to 7 November 2023 which led to these decisions.
“The United States and China recognize that the climate crisis has increasingly affected countries around the world. Alarmed by the best available scientific findings including the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report, the United States and China remain committed to the effective implementation of the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, reflecting equity and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in light of different national circumstances, to achieve the Paris Agreement’s aim in accordance with its Article 2 to hold the global average temperature increase to well below 2 degrees C and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5 degrees C,” read the statement.
The statement however, has been silent on phasing out/phasing down of fossil fuels and places too much focus on carbon removal/sequestration technologies which are still at a nascent stage and whose effectiveness has not been fully proven.
The US and China intend to recommence bilateral dialogues on energy policies and strategies, carry out exchanges on mutually agreed topics, and facilitate track II activities to enhance pragmatic cooperation. “The two countries aim to advance at least 5 large-scale cooperative carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) projects each by 2030, including from industrial and energy sources,” the statement said.
Another important development is that the US and China have noted the expectation of the developed countries that the $100 billion goal will be met in 2023. “Reaffirm the urging of developed country Parties to at least double their provision of adaptation finance; anticipate the adoption by COP 29 of the new collective quantified goal; and make finance flows consistent with the Paris Agreement goals,” the statement has said.
The statement added that the US and China are determined to end plastic pollution and will work together to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. The US-China statement comes days ahead of the UN Climate Summit (COP28) with several scientific reports flagging that the world is not on track to meet the 1.5 degree C goal of the Paris Agreement.
“I welcome and congratulate the US and China on this significant announcement, which responds to the global community’s repeated calls for action and raises the bar for an ambitious response to the first Global Stocktake.The world needs good news, and expectations remain high. We must restore trust in multilateralism. Today’s announcement demonstrates that, when we work towards a greater good, we can deliver historic, meaningful, high-ambition outcomes,” said COP President, Sultan Al Jaber.
“The consensus reached between the US and China is a significant outcome ahead of COP28. Tripling renewables capacity and cutting power-sector emissions by 2030, coupled with commitments to urgently reduce methane emissions and tackle all greenhouse gases through economy-wide NDCs, whilst anticipating peaking in this critical decade, will have a meaningful impact for generations to come,” he added.
The top three GHG emitters — China, the United States and India — contribute 42.6% total emissions, while the bottom 100 countries only account for only 2.9%. While India ranks high among emitters, when population is factored in to look at per capita GHG emissions, the highly populated country ranks significantly lower than the other top 10 emitters, WRI added.
“The US and China uniting in support of the goal on tripling renewable energy capacity is a positive signal no doubt, but phasing up renewables without phasing out fossil fuels is unhelpful to global emissions reduction efforts. The absence of language on fossil fuels is problematic since the US continues to be a major oil and gas consumer and producer, and China is the largest coal consumer. Support for methane reductions is useful but insufficient when the countries remain the largest and second largest carbon dioxide emitters,” said Avantika Goswami, programme manager, climate at Centre for Science and Environment.
