In the past week, we have seen a spacecraft land on a comet, and we’ve seen Kim Kardashian’s glazed donuts. But what most people haven’t talked about — or seem to be interested in — is the recent historic climate agreement between the U.S. and China.
In a secret joint deal between White House officials and the Chinese government, the U.S. agreed to cut carbon emission 25 to 28 percent from 2005 levels by 2025. In turn, the Chinese government will peak its fossil fuel production earlier than usual in 2030, while simultaneously increasing nonfossil fuel production to account for 20 percent of the country’s energy.
This is big news for the fight against climate change because of the fact that the U.S. and China happen to be the world’s biggest carbon emitters, and formally committing to change just might save the planet.
It is also important to mention that the Americans and the Chinese are seen as antagonists on the world stage. This agreement shows that the Obama administration and President Xi Jinping see the severity of climate change’s effects on their countries and economies.
Other parts of the deal include cooperation on clean energy research and development, including a pilot program in China that seeks to capture carbon emission through underground sequestration.
It is important to emphasize that this climate agreement can be a really big deal, but only if each country does its part. The agreement is not legally binding in any way and will not be until the U.N. convenes to resume climate talks.
These U.N. talks are difficult primarily because the core dispute is about who should bear the responsibility of cutting carbon emissions.
Poorer countries argue that rich nations are and have been the main contributors to climate change. Richer nations argue that poorer nations, who are exploding their use of fossil fuels, will negate their carbon reductions. It is incredibly difficult to get past the blame game with so many conflicting interests in one body.
It will also be difficult to carry out the changes in the respective countries, especially because Republicans, who will dominate both houses of Congress over the next two years, have opposed this deal, citing it as a commitment to the “war on coal.” And executive actions signed by the president would cripple prospective climate talks (if that is even possible).
But after this climate deal, attacks on EPA regulations will be seen as an attack on the China deal and on global efforts to stop global warming. It will also be difficult because the U.S. will have to make large spending cuts in an effort to shrink the deficit and reduce the debt.
If a miracle occurs at the U.N. and both countries agree to a deal, the rest of the world will follow suit. This agreement is the first step on a long road to action on climate.
We should all be happy to have an administration committed to leaving a somewhat healthy planet for future generations.
Some representatives in Congress are still debating whether this global warming even exists, despite the overwhelming scientific evidence demonstrating it does.
An assortment of hurdles need to be overcome: binding the deal through the U.N., overcoming Republicans in Congress and budget constraints and actually meeting the goals set during the last nine months. It won’t be easy, but it can and must be done.
Harold Joseph is a UF political science junior. His columns appear on Fridays.
[A version of this story ran on page 6 on 11/13/2014]
