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Macroscope | COP26: even with Xi’s absence, China’s climate actions speak louder than words
- Given China’s manufacturing heft, it is no surprise that it is the world’s biggest carbon emitter
- But Beijing is taking practical measures to transition to a carbon neutral economy, and inspiring other developing countries in the process
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Although US President Joe Biden has understandably sought to gain political capital from Chinese President Xi Jinping’s absence from COP26, the UN climate conference in Glasgow, Beijing’s actions speak louder than words. Indeed, China’s plan to achieve a carbon neutral economy by 2060 may prove to be a template for many developing countries.
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“I think it’s been a big mistake, quite frankly … with respect to China not showing up,” Biden said at COP26 last week. “The rest of the world is going to look to China and say, ‘what value-added are they providing?’”
Well, in the first place, as regards the optics of COP26, although Xi himself didn’t travel to Scotland, China sent a senior team of delegates and is engaging in the process.
That’s in stark contrast to the United States’ patchy recent record on climate change, although the current administration might prefer not to acknowledge it. Indeed, China was “not the one who withdrew from the #ParisAgreement”, as Zhang Jun, China’s ambassador to the United Nations, tweeted last week, in a telling reference to the actions of Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump.
Back in Glasgow, Biden argued: “By showing up, we’ve had a profound impact on the way I think the rest of the world is looking at the United States and its leadership role.” He clearly sought to draw a line under the Trump years, but also to claim the moral high ground over China on the climate change issue.
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Of course, it’s not difficult for Biden, or indeed other Western leaders, to level criticism at China about carbon emissions.
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