The US and China have reached an agreement to work together to slow climate change – a surprise as the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) draws to a close.

China’s special climate envoy Xie Zhenhua announced the Declaration for Enhanced Climate Action in the 2020s on Wednesday, with just a few days left to strike a COP26 agreement.

The US and China will reinforce the importance of the Paris goal of limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius and not going over 1.5 degrees, Xie said.

‘Both sides recognize there is a gap between the current efforts and the Paris agreement goals,’ Xie said during a press conference.

Xie added that the world’s two superpowers are especially obligated to ensuring peace.

‘We need to think big and be responsible,’ he said. ‘We need to actively address climate change and through cooperation bring more benefit to our two peoples and to people around the world.’

In a separate press conference after Xie’s announcement, US special climate envoy John Kerry said the agreement is ‘a step we can build on in order to help close the gap’ on emissions.

‘The United States and China have no shortage of differences,’ Kerry said. ‘But on climate, cooperation is the only way to get this job done.’

Prior to the joint pledge, COP26 talks were largely seen as falling short of prompting an agreement. US President Joe Biden delivered a couple of speeches, but criticized Chinese President Xi Jingping for declining to attend the convening in Glasgow, Scotland.

Following the agreement, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres tweeted that he ‘welcomed’ it.

‘Tackling the climate crisis requires international cooperation and solidarity, and this is an important step in the right direction,’ Guterres said.

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