This is probably symbolic, the fight against global warming is paved with good intentions from Kyoto there 17 years, but it was important that China and the US agree on commitments. This is a groundbreaking agreement that the two great powers which together represent 40% of total CO2 emissions in the world, have concluded.
Yesterday in Beijing, sidelines of APEC, Barack Obama and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, traditionally regarded as the leaders of two opposites in the climate negotiations camps were not a spouse. The impact could be significant for further negotiations, including those that will place the end of 2015 in Paris.
On the one hand, China has set the goal of peak emissions of greenhouse gas emissions, around 2030, said she intends to "try to get there early" . This is the first time that Beijing set a date from which emissions continue to rise and the curve will be reversed. For its part, Washington is committed to reduce from 26 to 28% reduction by 2025.
Since Kyoto, the United Nations organize an international conference every year to try to establish common policies against climate change. In Paris, therefore, all countries, whether developed or developing countries must commit.
Signatories to the Kyoto Protocol, the United States have never ratified. Clearly rejected in the Bush years, the fight for climate found an ally across the Atlantic with Obama, but the Senate has refused to go further. The commitment of the US president could be just a new sword in the water. The leader of the Republican majority in the Senate rejects the new office aims, it was "unrealistic".
The agreement yesterday would be ultimately more political than anything else. However, according to experts, there is an urgency to act. Current efforts are insufficient to limit the rise in global temperature to 2 ° C goal has set the international community to avoid catastrophic runaway climate disruption.
