Second Meeting of U.S.-China Working Group on Enhancing Climate Action in the 2020s

On September 4-6, 2024, China hosted in Beijing a meeting of the U.S.-China Working Group on Enhancing Climate Action in the 2020s, which is co-led by U.S. Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy John Podesta and China Special Envoy for Climate Change Liu Zhenmin and includes their respective colleagues. Both sides continued their discussions on addressing the climate crisis, including implementation of respective 2030 NDCs and preparation of 2035 NDCs.

Both sides welcomed the technical and policy exchanges that have been conducted to date under the U.S.-China Working Group on Enhancing Climate Action in the 2020s, including discussions under the energy transition, methane, circular economy and resource efficiency, and low-carbon and sustainable provinces/states & cities four Sub-Working Groups, and looked forward to further exchanges.

Senior Advisor John Podesta and Special Envoy Liu Zhenmin also participated in the U.S.-China Circular Economy Cooperation Forum and U.S.-China Subnational Climate Action Roundtable, convened on September 6. They appreciated the participation by the U.S. Ambassador to China and China Ambassador to the U.S.

The two sides reaffirmed their intention to jointly host, with the COP 29 Presidency of Azerbaijan, a Methane and Other Non-CO2 Greenhouse Gases Summit at COP 29. They also discussed their interest in encouraging others to participate in the Summit and join us in presenting policies, actions, and cooperation, as appropriate.

Recalling their commitment to advance efforts to halt and reverse forest loss by 2030, the two sides expressed their intention to continue discussion and collaborative efforts to enforce their respective laws on banning illegal imports, and promote global forest conservation and sustainable management.

Both sides are committed to further strengthening dialogue, collaborative efforts, and working with other Parties to support the Azerbaijan Presidency for a successful outcome of COP 29, including on, inter alia, the new collective quantified goal and Article 6 under the Paris Agreement.