The virtual meeting was held ahead of the critical COP26 conference, due to be held in Glasgow in November, at which world leaders will seek to secure accelerated action to keep average global warming to within 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. This target is still possible, but will require immediate and drastic decarbonisation action, a landmark IPCC report concluded.
China and the US are the world's first and second-largest carbon emitters, respectively. China alone is responsible for an estimated 27 per cent of global greenhouse gases. The US has, by far, the world’s largest share of emissions per capita.
Kerry has implored Chinese leaders to expand efforts to reduce carbon emissions as part of the global effort to keep back the rise in temperatures. Kerry is currently in the eastern port city of Tianjin in China for talks on accelerated climate action.
“Secretary Kerry emphasised the importance of the world taking serious climate actions in...