China, US shake hands to achieve emission goals despite differences

Glasgow: China and the United States announced on Wednesday a plan to work together on cutting greenhouse emissions for the next crucial decade. The announcement came out as a surprise since the world's largest emitters were trading insults in the first week of the Cop26 summit, The Guardian reports.

The two nations decided to work on some specific areas like cutting methane and emissions from transport, energy and industry. China's delegation said that both the powers recognise the gap between the current effort and the Paris agreement goals. They will jointly strengthen their Paris efforts and cooperation. Chinese President Xi Jinping said that we could embark on a green path to a future of green development.

Meanwhile, the US Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, said that this is a roadmap for the two nations' future collaboration. China and the US have no shortage of differences, but cooperation is needed for this job. A long journey is ahead, he said.

The UN secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, welcomed the announcement. He said this was an essential step in the right direction as international cooperation and solidarity are required to tackle the climate crisis.

The new announcement will send a solid signal to more than 190 countries at the Cop26 summit. After it came, developing countries called rich nations for more financial help for vulnerable countries.

The United Kingdom, as president of the talks, published a draft text on Wednesday morning which set out the probable outcome of the Cop26 talks. The draft also said that countries are required to return to negotiation next year to strengthen their plans on emissions-cutting.