Virtual conference: „China, EU and US cooperation on climate change – Is there political will to make real progress?“

China, the EU and the US are collectively responsible for around 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The EU is fighting climate change through ambitious policies at home and close cooperation with international partners. It plans to cut emissions by at least 55% by 2030. By 2050, Europe aims to become the world’s first climate-neutral continent. In April 2021, the Council’s and the European Parliament’s negotiators reached a provisional agreement setting into law these objectives. Last year, China, the world’s largest emitter, promised to end its contribution to global heating and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. This was seen as a huge move for global climate action.

President Biden has recently fulfilled his pledge to rejoin the Paris Agreement. Furthermore, he set a target of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, a move that mirrors Europe’s own commitments. At the Leaders Summit on Climate 2021, the US announced an ambitious target as its new Nationally Determined Contribution – to cut emissions by 50-52% below 2005 levels by 2030.

International cooperation on climate change has lost momentum in recent years but 2021 could mark the beginning of a closer cooperation between the world’s largest emitters. The political will is arguably the strongest in many years. By cooperating closely, China, the EU and the US could not only reach their climate targets faster, but they could also support better other countries in achieving theirs.

Join this EURACTIV Virtual Conference to discuss how China, the EU and the US can work together to drive the global fight against climate change. Could COP26 be a game-changer?

Panelists

  • Jacob Werksman, Principal Adviser for International Aspects of EU Climate Policy, DG CLIMA, European Commission
  • Henrike Hahn, MEP, Member of ITRE, D-US and D-CN, European Parliament
  • Ye Qi, Director of Institute for Public Policy, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
  • Irina Kustova, Researcher, Energy, Resources and Climate Change, CEPS
  • Wendel Trio, Director, Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe

Moderator

Brian Maguire, Journalist, EURACTIV

Programme

  • 09:30 – 09:35 Welcome
  • 09:35 – 09:50 Panellist statements
  • 09:50 – 10:40 Discussion and Q&A
  • 10:40 – 10:45 Closing statements

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