Climate Change
Scientists are often asked whether it is possible to meet some ambitious goal like 2°, and if everything lines up perfectly and people have perfect information and they act in perfect coordination then yes those kinds of goals are possible. But when you evaluate them through the lens of how quickly technological systems change and how quickly political systems change then the possible looks a whole lot harder.
[On the U.S. and China] We will have to learn to manage a relationship marked by both competition and collaboration, working with allies to stand up against unacceptable Chinese behavior where necessary, while seeking to collaborate where we can and must.
Today's announcement by President Xi Jinping that China intends to reach carbon neutrality before 2060 is big and important news — the closer to 2050 the better.
[On President Xi Jinping's announcement on climate neutrality] His announcement that China will start down this road right away by adopting more vigorous policies is also welcome. Simply peaking emissions 'before 2030' won't be enough to put China on the rapid path needed for carbon neutrality, but overall this is a very encouraging step.
[On the U.S.-Chinese relationship and climate change] There is absolutely no way that the world can meet its climate goals without the United States and China both acting aggressively on climate change. That won’t be easy, both because of the backdrop of the broader relationship and because it will only be possible if both countries understand the scale and speed of change that’s necessary. We’re not simply going to go back to where we were before, given where the two countries are at now. But it’s going to be very important to be able to find a modus vivendi, where there are areas of disagreement and competition, but also areas where we can collaborate. Global problems are an area where we should be trying to collaborate, and climate change is certainly one of those.
[On long-term climate goals] That translates into something like a net zero carbon world by 2050. And to do that is going to require tremendous mobilization, a transformation to a clean energy economy, at speed and scale. And so when Biden talks about wanting to invest $2 trillion in the first four years for climate, about trying to get to a carbon-free electricity system by 2035, about net zero by 2050—all of those things make it clear that, at this point, he is thinking at the scale of what needs to be done and acted on, in a way that is very encouraging.
...Biden is on the [climate] program and can help lead other countries as well. The first step for the United States, internationally, will be to demonstrate that the United States is back on the program, back in Paris, and committed to the right things, because for the last four years, the world has seen the United States walk away.