China urges US to honor climate pledges after Supreme Court ruling

The Supreme Court has voted to limit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from existing coal- and gas-fired power plants under the Clean Air Act, dismaying environmentalists.

Zhao told reporters at a regular briefing that the ruling had been criticized by the international community, adding that “mere slogans are not enough to tackle climate change”.

“We urge developed countries, including the United States… to face up to their historical responsibilities and show greater ambition and action,” he added.

Environmentalists in China said the decision could further undermine the broader climate relationship between Beijing and Washington, which plays a key role in securing global agreements to limit greenhouse gas warming.

“The ruling has profound implications and will significantly weaken the conditions for future climate negotiations between the US and China,” said Li Shuo, senior adviser at Greenpeace.

A “decline” from the United States could make it impossible for China to take further steps to curb its coal consumption, which is set to reach record levels in 2021, Li added.

“The Chinese believe there will be no quid pro quo between them and the United States on climate,” he said.

President Xi Jinping pledged last year that China would begin reducing coal use by 2026, while state think tanks expect coal-fired power generation capacity to increase by an additional 150 gigawatts between 2021 and 2025.

Amid concerns about economic growth and energy security, senior officials continue to stress the need to carefully manage the low-carbon energy transition.

Vice Premier Han Zheng this week described coal as a “ballast” for the economy and said China must “maintain the bottom line of energy security based on the national basic conditions of coal dominance.”