Even Climate Change Is a Fraught Area for US-China Cooperation

Climate change is deeply intertwined with the technology competition that now bedevils U.S.-China relations.

By Deborah Lehr, as featured on The Diplomat

The United States and China have a mutual interest in fighting climate change. There are no boundaries: Emissions in Tianjin affect temperatures in Texas, and vice versa. For this reason, many view climate change as a potential bright spot in the U.S.-China relationship – where the shared goal of reducing carbon emissions could lead to cooperative action or complementary policies.

The reality, however, is more complicated. As the Biden administration shapes its China policy, climate policy may present a bigger source of U.S.-China conflict than cooperation. Climate change is deeply intertwined with the technology competition that now bedevils U.S.-China relations, creating new fronts in the battle over economic power and influence globally.