Biden invites Putin and Xi Jinping to the climate summit.
US President Joe Biden has invited his Russian and Chinese counterparts Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping to participate in the climate talks, Associated Press reports, citing unnamed officials.
The US leader himself said the invitees included his colleagues from Russia and China. Biden said Putin and Xi Jinping are aware of this. However, the president has not personally discussed the matter with them.
The details of the summit are currently unknown. As the agency notes, this is the first large-scale high-level negotiation on this topic since Biden took office.
Simultaneously, the press secretary of Russian President Dmitry Peskov said on March 11 that the Kremlin had not received any proposals regarding Putin’s participation in this meeting.
On April 22-23, the United States intends to host an international climate summit online. The event will be dedicated to strengthening global efforts to decrease toxic radiations into the atmosphere.
Four priorities
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres previously proposed four priorities in the fight against climate change.
We must keep the world on track to reach the goals of the Paris Agreement and to avoid climate calamity. Guterres said, In order to achieve zero emissions, like greenhouse gases, we must really form a global alliance, by the middle of the century.
He pointed out that global greenhouse gas emissions need to be reduced by 45% by 2030 from 2010 levels.
Secondly, according to the Secretary-General, it is necessary to increase the volume of investments in the fight against climate change. Third, Guterres said, there is a need to adopt a security concept that puts people at the forefront. According to him, it reduces the risk of conflict and helps maintain peace.
Fourth, we need to develop partnerships within and outside the UN system. We must use and strengthen the strengths of various players, including the Council, the Peacebuilding Commission, international financial institutions, regional organizations, civil society, the private sector, academia,” said the UN Secretary-General.
The growing interest in the climate plan
Interest in the climate agenda inside Russia is growing, but mainly due to external factors, and not because of the desire inside the country to preserve the climate and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Ruslan Edelgeriev, adviser to the Russian president, special representative for climate issues, told RIA Novosti earlier.
I would say that there has been a significant increase in the importance and interest in the climate agenda in Russia, including by the Russian government … But I have to admit that the driver of these changes is external factors, primarily the EU’s cross-border carbon regulation,” – said Edelgeriev.
He cited as an example the EU’s intention to introduce a carbon payment, including for Russian companies, as part of the new climate policy of the European Union. In this regard, Russia began to actively discuss the adjustment of greenhouse gas emissions from enterprises and recalculation of the absorbing capacity of forests.