China's hard climate stance with US imperils Glasgow talks

The shift in tone on climate relations between the world’s two biggest greenhouse gas emitters has sapped momentum and risks future cooperation, writes David Stanway

A coal-fired plant generating power. China is the world’s biggest coal user and the industry employs many workers. File picture

China’s refusal to accept requests for deeper carbon emissions cuts during recent visits from the top climate envoys of the United States and Britain may undermine progress at the upcoming global climate summit in Glasgow in November, experts say.

China rebuffed US envoy John Kerry’s appeal to strengthen its emissions goals ahead of the COP26 summit by saying climate could not be separated from the wider breakdown in the countries’ relationship.