BEIJING, July 1 (BNA) – China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Friday that the United States must fulfill its international commitments on climate change and do more than “chant slogans” in the wake of the US Supreme Court ruling limiting climate change. Washington’s ability to cut off the electricity sector. emissions.
The Supreme Court has voted to limit the US Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from existing coal and gas power plants under the Clean Air Act, much to the chagrin of environmentalists, Reuters reports.
The ruling has been criticized by the international community, Zhao told reporters at a regular press conference, adding that “it is not enough just to chant slogans to address climate change.”
“We urge developed countries, including the United States, to … face their historical responsibilities and show more ambition and action,” he added.
Environmentalists in China said the decision could undermine the broader climate relationship between Beijing and Washington, which has played a critical role in securing global agreements to curb greenhouse gases.
“The ruling carries profound ramifications and will significantly weaken conditions for future US-China climate talks,” said Li Shu, a senior adviser to Greenpeace.
Li added that the “retreat” by the United States may make it unlikely that China will take further measures to curb its coal consumption, which reached a record high in 2021.
“The Chinese side believes that there will be no trade-off regarding the climate between it and the United States,” he said.
President Xi Jinping pledged last year that China would start cutting coal consumption in 2026, with government research centers expecting coal-fired power generation capacity to rise by another 150 gigawatts over the period from 2021 to 2025.
Amid concerns about economic growth and energy security, senior officials continued to stress the need to carefully manage the low-carbon energy transition.
Vice Premier Han Zheng this week described coal as a “heavyweight” for the economy, adding that China “needs to maintain minimum energy security based on the basic national conditions of coal dominance.”
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