Opinion | How cooperation on climate change, polar research can help thaw US-China relations
- Shared interests can open a window for US-China cooperation when the bilateral relationship is experiencing its most difficult and tense phase
- A commitment to multilateralism can also bring US closer to the other Arctic and Antarctic nations
Some might predict few concrete results from these meetings. However, climate change in the context of polar studies, both in the Arctic and Antarctica, opens a window for US-China cooperation when the bilateral relationship has experienced its most difficult and tense phase since the normalisation of ties in 1979.
The Arctic and Antarctic have unique ecosystems where flora and fauna can be studied in largely pristine surroundings. They are key regions for undertaking a range of research that is necessary to understanding global climate systems.
The US is in many ways the most influential country in Antarctica. It operates the only research station at the South Pole, as well as the largest station on the continent, and it continues to support the establishment of marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean.
