5月8日至9日，中美“21世紀20年代強化氣候行動工作組”會議在美國華盛頓特區召開。會議由中國氣候變化事務特使劉振民和美國總統國際氣候政策高級顧問約翰·波德斯塔共同主持，兩國相關官員參加會議。
會議回顧了中美元首舊金山會晤，圍繞《關於加強合作應對氣候危機的陽光之鄉聲明》確定的能源轉型、甲烷和其他非二氧化碳溫室氣體、迴圈經濟和資源效率、毀林、低碳省/州和城市等領域開展深入討論，並就與推動《聯合國氣候變化框架公約》第二十九次締約方大會（COP29）在亞塞拜然巴庫成功舉辦相關的多邊議題展開闔作。雙方分享了各自氣候政策和行動的經驗與挑戰，旨在有效應對氣候危機及其影響。
回顧《巴黎協定》的溫控目標，重申兩國展示領導力的重要性，同時考慮到各國不同的國情和路徑，雙方對《聯合國氣候變化框架公約》第二十八次締約方大會（COP 28）全球盤點決定的號召表示歡迎，即各國按時提交全經濟範圍、包含所有溫室氣體並對標1.5攝氏度溫控目標的2035年國家自主貢獻（NDCs）；雙方還表示願意開展相關技術和政策交流。
回顧美國意在2035年實現100%清潔電力，以及中國意在“十五五”期間逐步減少煤炭消費，並通過包括加快可再生能源部署在內的最大努力加快此項工作，兩國有意加強在實現各自目標方面的技術和政策交流。
雙方計劃在COP29期間舉辦第二屆“甲烷和非二氧化碳溫室氣體峰會”。雙方承諾就部署減排技術、建立或完善各自MRV體系和標準推動開展雙邊合作和能力建設，以實現在21世紀20年代期間甲烷控排或減排的目標。雙方關注到聯合國環境規劃署國際甲烷排放觀測站的甲烷警報與響應系統。雙方還將圍繞其他非二氧化碳溫室氣體（包括工業領域氧化亞氮和對流層臭氧前體物質）的測量和減排方案開展技術合作和能力建設。
認識到發展迴圈經濟和提高資源效率對於應對氣候危機的重要性，雙方期望在迴圈經濟領域開展進一步技術交流，包括減少食品損失和浪費、紡織品、回收標準。
雙方期待中美地方氣候行動高級別活動於5月29日-30日在加州伯克利舉辦。
Readout on Meeting of the U.S.-China Working Group on Enhancing Climate Action in the 2020s
On May 8-9, the United States hosted in Washington, D.C., a meeting of the U.S.-China Working Group on Enhancing Climate Action in the 2020s, which is co-led by Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy John Podesta and PRC Special Envoy for Climate Change Liu Zhenmin and includes relevant officials from the two countries.
The in-depth discussions recalled the San Francisco summit between the two Presidents and focused on areas identified in the Sunnylands Statement, including energy transition, methane and other non-CO2 greenhouse gases, circular economy and resource efficiency, deforestation, and low-carbon and sustainable provinces/states and cities, as well as cooperating on multilateral issues related to promoting a successful COP 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. They exchanged experiences and challenges with respect to their respective climate policies and actions, with a view to responding meaningfully to the climate crisis and beyond.
Recalling the Paris Agreement’s temperature goal and reaffirming the importance of demonstrating their leadership, taking into account different national circumstances and pathways, the two sides welcomed the call in COP 28’s Global Stocktake decision for Parties to submit on time 2035 nationally determined contributions (“NDCs”) that are economy-wide, cover all greenhouse gases, and are 1.5C-aligned; they further expressed their intention to engage in related technical and policy exchange.
Recalling the U.S. intent to achieve 100 percent clean power by 2035, and the Chinese intent to phase down coal consumption during the 15th Five Year Plan and make best efforts to accelerate this work, including by accelerating renewables deployment, the two countries intend to intensify technical and policy exchanges on realizing their respective goals.
The two sides intend to host a second“Methane and Non-CO2 Greenhouse Gases Summit” at COP 29. The two sides committed to promote bilateral cooperation and conduct capacity building on deploying abatement technologies, as well as developing and/or improving respective MRV systems and standards aiming to achieve significant methane emissions control and reductions in the 2020s. Both sides noted with interest the Methane Alert and Response System of the UNEP International Methane Emissions Observatory. They will also engage in technical cooperation and capacity-building for measurement and abatement solutions of other non-CO2 greenhouse gases, including industrial N2O as well as tropospheric ozone precursors.
Recognizing the importance of developing circular economy and resource efficiency in addressing the climate crisis, the two sides expect to conduct further technical exchanges on circular economy, including food loss and waste reduction, textiles, and recycling standards.
Both sides look forward to the U.S.-China High-Level Event on Subnational Climate Action, to be held May 29-30, in Berkeley, CA.
