China and the U.S. must cooperate on climate change

Fighting climate change is China's own will

English.news.cn 2014-02-17

BEIJING, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- The world's two largest greenhouse gas emitters have finally come to an agreement on climate change. But China's motive in addressing the issue is not a response to U.S. pressure, but for its own benefit.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry wrapped up his two-day stay in China with a joint statement which said China and the United States will cooperate to achieve substantive results in greenhouse gas reduction.

The statement is a confirmation and extension of agreements reached during Kerry's last visit to China in 2013, when a climate working group was launched, a sign that both countries have recognized the importance of cooperation.

This time, pragmatic cooperation is expected by analysts as hopes are high that a successor to the Kyoto Protocol can be found in next year's Paris international climate talks. The only legally binding document to tackle climate change, the Kyoto Protocol expired in 2012.

All of which requires the cooperation of China and the United States.

Kerry's China visit couldn't have been more timely. A spell of extremely cold weather has just hit America earlier this year, with the extreme weather seen to be a result of climate change.

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