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FT: EU and China strengthen climate ties to counter US retreat

X

Xando

Member
China and the EU have come together to fill the vacuum if Donald Trump decides to retreat from international action on climate change by forging a new green alliance to combat global warming.

In a stark re-alignment of forces, documents seen by the Financial Times show that Beijing and Brussels have agreed to measures to accelerate what they call the ”irreversible" shift away from fossil fuels and the ”historic achievement" of the Paris climate accord.

Their collaboration is to be revealed on Friday at a summit of EU leaders with China's Premier, Li Keqiang, in the same week that Mr Trump has said he will end months of indecision over whether to pull the US out of the Paris agreement.

The move comes days after a tense G7 summit in Italy that ended with Mr Trump at loggerheads with other leaders on the Paris deal and trade.

The joint statement agreed by Beijing and Brussels for Friday's summit, seen by the FT, says the two sides are ”determined to forge ahead" with measures to ”lead the energy transition" towards a global low economy.

The EU, home to the world's largest carbon market, has agreed to give China €10m to support its plan to roll out a national emissions trading system this year in a move officials say will hasten the possibility of linking the two schemes.

Separately two countries have agreed to look at helping the world's poorest countries to develop greener economies. This move could prove important in maintaining developing country support for the Paris deal if Mr Trump withdraws the US from the accord.

The US under Mr Obama was a major contributor to international climate financing programs. Many developing countries have submitted climate plans for the Paris agreement that are contingent on receiving international funding.

In addition, the EU and China have agreed to co-operate on the deployment of electric cars, energy efficiency labelling and scientific research into green innovation.

They will also work on ways to spur the growth of renewable energy, such as boosting interconnected power networks.

The EU-China collaboration began at UN climate talks in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh that were jolted by the unexpected election victory of Mr Trump, who once called global warming a Chinese ”hoax" and vowed on the campaign trail to ”cancel" the Paris accord.

In their joint statement, the EU and China say ”the increasing impacts of climate change require a decisive response".

”Tackling climate change and reforming our energy systems are significant drivers of job creation, investment opportunities and economic growth," they add.
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More at the link (google title if paywalled)

https://www.ft.com/content/585f1946-45e2-11e7-8519-9f94ee97d996
 
M

Master Yoshi

Member
XglRl.gif
 
B

Blader

Member
Good.

Although pretty unfortunate and embarrassing that Trump is truly ceding a huge part of our future to China.
 
D

Disxo

Member
Yes! Save the earth now that the Us is being set back.
China and the Eu as superpowers? Where do I sign?
 
IaN_GAF

IaN_GAF

Member
Better start taking Chinese lessons so I'll be able to communicate with my new friends, I guess.

We had fun while it lasted, though, America. Good luck!
 
D

dakun

Member
“Tackling climate change and reforming our energy systems are significant drivers of job creation, investment opportunities and economic growth,” they add.
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The US will be left behind so far, they will suffer for not being on the forefront of this effort.
 
C

Chaos2Frozen

Member
Trump has been the lucky break for China to step in to take the top spot.

I've already know a bit of Chinese, I guess German or French is next huh...
 
P

paradise_circus

Member
Shadybiz said:
Good work. Please help staunch the bleeding caused by the embarrassment that is my country's president.
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I really get the feeling that china's leadership are giggling and laughing because of the trump administration. The pivot to asian countries was canceled and china will still lead the technological and industrial lead for future energy systems because the US doesn't want to.
 
W

wandering

Banned
paradise_circus said:
I really get the feeling that china's leadership are giggling and laughing because of the trump administration. The pivot to asian countries was canceled and china will still lead the technological and industrial lead for future energy systems because the US doesn't want to.
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Can confirm that at least a lot of Chinese citizens are laughing at the US government
 
A

Akuun

Looking for meaning in GAF
paradise_circus said:
I really get the feeling that china's leadership are giggling and laughing because of the trump administration.
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I'm pretty sure the leadership of EVERY country is giggling and laughing because of the trump administration.

China probably more so because they have a lot to gain from it, but I'm sure every country is laughing and shaking their heads right now.
 
H

Hektor

Member
Good. China doing what american't. It's just a matter of time until ya'll have an in science believing president again i hope. Maybe it's not too late by then.
 
F

Frankfurter

Member
Good. The world can't stop taking action just because this orange clown and his party rule in the US. Make America great again will need to be transformed to Make America poor and isolated again soon enough.
 
Trojita

Trojita

Rapid Response Threadmaker
All the clout we have been building since the 18th century is being lowered at an accelerated rate by an orange doofus voted in by people who think they are real Americans.
 
A

Atolm

Member
It's painful to watch this. In a few years China will be a better ally to the EU than the US. It's like those past 80 years of peace never happened for that orange turd.
 
S

Sho_Nuff82

Member
In addition, the EU and China have agreed to co-operate on the deployment of electric cars, energy efficiency labelling and scientific research into green innovation.
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We can totally afford to be a decade behind on the technology that will fuel the next 75 years.

Right guys?
 
C

Chaos2Frozen

Member
Sephzilla said:
By the time we've purged Trump it's going to be too late. The US is going to be boxed out.
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Even if you've purged Trump, Americans might just vote a worse-Trump within a decade.

If people didn't learn their lesson from Bush, I'm not confident they would learn it from Trump.... Or at the very least, the lesson would quickly be forgotten.
 
X

Xando

Member
It's good to see the EU moving fast for once.

Macron and Merkel meet with the Indian PM and the chinese PM this week to deepen ties in climate and free trade.

We need to get away from the trainwreck that's happening in the US.
 
D

danthefan

Member
Sephzilla said:
By the time we've purged Trump it's going to be too late. The US is going to be boxed out.
Click to expand...

This is just it. There's going to be such a global focus on renewables and cleaner energy that the US pulling out now is going to harm it economically in the long run imo, apart from the awful consequences for the environment.
 
O

Otnopolit

Member
World over country. I don't mind being left behind if it means the prolonged protection of the planet. I can always move or do my part here. I literally breathed a sigh of relief.
 
C

Corky

Nine out of ten orphans can't tell the difference.
I hope the long-term financial implications for the US pulling out like this would be severely detrimental.

Godspeed EU.
 
K

Khaz

Member
Separately two countries have agreed to look at helping the world’s poorest countries to develop greener economies. This move could prove important in maintaining developing country support for the Paris deal if Mr Trump withdraws the US from the accord.
Click to expand...

I recently watched a doc on "paco pacos" in Brasil, rudimentary vehicles made of recycled metal bits welded together in the shape of a truck, while the engine are recycled diesel water pumps. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6ovT41nc3I (in German, but the pictures speak for themselves).

Diesel engines are ubiquitous and well understood, anyone with the knowledge can repair one if not build one, with nothing but rusted spares. Electric engines on the other hand seem complex, needing dense circuit boards with tiny components and obscure microchips. Or is there an electric equivalent as easy to make, easy to maintain, and working in terrible conditions?
 
U

Usobuko

Banned
The US still has far too much power over the world.

Europe and Asia should seize back some influential control.
 
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