• Climate Change

The United States and China Will Work Together on Climate Change

• carbon
• carbon neutral
• China
• climate action
• climate crisis
• Climate Summit
• fossil fuels

The United States and China, the world’s biggest carbon polluters, have agreed to cooperate to keep climate change in check. John Kerry, the U.S. special envoy for climate, and the Chinese envoy, Xie Zenhua, made this agreement over the course of two days in Shanghai over the weekend. 

Why this Matters: China is the world’s biggest carbon emitter, with the United States closely following. Together, they emit almost half the world’s fossil fuel pollution.

• Climate Change

John Kerry Visits Shanghai to Talk Global Climate Ambition

• China
• diplomacy
• John Kerry

by Amy Lupica, ODP Staff Writer U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry will be the first Biden administration official to visit China, leading up to President Biden’s virtual Earth Day Leaders Summit. Kerry will be visiting Shanghai and Seoul, South Korea, to discuss “raising global climate ambition” with government officials. Kerry has told reporters that he is “hopeful [but] not confident at […]

• Climate Change

Kerry Engages with UAE, India, and China As Climate Summit Nears

• carbon capture
• China
• decarbonization
• India
• Paris Agreement
• Solar
• UAE

Special Presidential Envoy on Climate (or “SPEC”) Kerry is engaging with key nations this week in the run-up to the Global Summit in two weeks.  In India yesterday he met with Prime Minister Narenda Modi, who reaffirmed his government’s commitment to its Paris pledges, including increasing its non-fossil fuel power capacity to 40% and substantially boosting forest cover to reduce CO2. Kerry visits Bangladesh today.

Why This Matters:  Kerry is using these visits to try to elicit elevated commitments from other major emitters — China and India.

• Energy

China Burned 53% of the World’s Coal in 2020

• China
• climate change
• coal
• emissions
• renewable energy

Despite President Xi Jinping’s pledge to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060, a new report released by energy and climate research group Ember, found that China burned more than half of the world’s coal in 2020. Experts say that China’s current Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) isn’t keeping up with the nation’s rocketing energy demands.

Why This Matters: China is the world’s largest producer of carbon emissions, but despite announcing net-zero emissions goals in 2020, its latest five-year plan included no updates to its climate goals.

• Ocean

Chinese Trawling Fleet Posing As Domestic Operators Drains Fish from Ghanaian Waters

• China
• distant water fleet
• IUU
• IUU fishing
• trawl

By Amy Lupica, ODP Staff Writer

West Africa’s fishing grounds are quickly being monopolized by the Chinese distant-waters fishing industry, according to a new report released by the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF). In Ghana, an estimated 90% of the country’s coastal trawlers are, for all intents and purposes, owned by Chinese corporations despite laws banning foreign ownership.

Why This Matters: In Ghana, the local fishing economy relies on coastal fishing for food and income. As Chinese industrial fishing operations encroach on these resources and expand operations they contribute to wide-scale ecosystem destruction.

• Animals

One Not Cool Thing: A “Polar Bear Hotel” In China

• China
• endangered
• polar bear
• Polarland

Yes – you read that right. CNN reported this week on the opening of The Polar Bear Hotel, which is in the Polarland theme park in the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin. It opened its doors last Friday, and offers its 21 guest rooms 24/7 endangered polar bear viewing from every room.  At the park, […]