Statement From ClimateWorks Foundation About China and the United States Enhancing Cooperation to Address the Climate Crisis

SAN FRANCISCO – November 15, 2023 – Following the Sunnylands Statement on climate cooperation between China and the United States, Helen Mountford, president and CEO, ClimateWorks Foundation and Xiaohua Zhang, Director of ClimateWorks’ China Program released the following statement:

“China and the United States have taken significant strides to re-establish and strengthen their climate cooperation, sending a powerful signal of hope to a world struggling to adjust to a rapidly warming planet and frustrated that climate progress remains patchy. As the world’s top two emitters, the leadership of these countries is essential to demonstrate how nations can put words into action and work collaboratively for a more sustainable and resilient future for all. 

“With an emphasis on strengthened action to addressing methane and other non-CO₂ greenhouse gasses, pursuing efforts to triple renewable energy capacity globally by 2030 so as to accelerate the substitution for fossil fuel generation, facilitating sub-national cooperation, ensuring ambitious efficiency standards for all cooling equipment, and affirming that their updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for 2035 will be economy-wide and include all greenhouse gasses, both nations are going beyond rhetoric to scale ambition, implementation, and joint action. 

“This groundbreaking progress creates a solid basis for a meaningful outcome at COP28 in Dubai and demonstrates a durable commitment to our shared future. ClimateWorks is committed to supporting our implementing partners working in China, the US and across the world to deliver on these goals and accelerate transformative climate action worldwide.”

About ClimateWorks Foundation

ClimateWorks Foundation is a global platform for philanthropy to innovate and scale high-impact climate solutions that benefit people and the planet. We deliver global programs and services that equip philanthropy with the knowledge, networks, and solutions to drive climate progress for a more sustainable and equitable future. Since 2008, ClimateWorks has granted over $1.8 billion to more than 850 grantees in over 50 countries.