At the end of the United Nations climate change summit, an important agreement was announced to stop deforestation by 2030, an agreement to which countries such as Brazil and China have also joined. In addition, more than 100 nations have pledged to reduce methane emissions by 30% by the end of this decade.
On the first point, which covers 85% of the world’s forests, there is also a commitment of nearly 18 billion euros of public and private funds to recover damaged forests. But perhaps even more important is the agreement on methane: it was signed by 103 countries and includes half of the 30 largest emitters – although there are no China, India, and Russia, which are in the top five.
The deal was strongly backed by the United States: “It will cut half of the world’s methane emissions,” Biden said.
Therefore, President Biden and the other world leaders headed home from Glasgow with agreements to cut methane emissions and deforestation. «Big mistake» for China and Russia to skip Cop26, Biden said.
Biden capped two days of climate talks with fellow world leaders by hailing new international commitments to curb warming and knocking China and Russia for not participating.
The American President highlighted a stark contrast between American leadership and the efforts of China and Russia, whose leaders did not travel to the United Nations summit on climate change, COP26, in Glasgow, Scotland.
«I think it’s been a big mistake for China» not to show up at the conference, he said. «They’ve lost their ability to influence people around the world, and people here at COP». «It just is a gigantic issue and they walked away», Mr. Biden said of the Chinese leadership.
Biden also used sharp words towards President Vladimir Putin of Russia. «His tundra is burning, literally, his tundra is burning. He has serious climate problems. And he has been mum on his willingness to do anything», Mr. Biden said.
In his remarks and his answers to reporters, he said the world must do more to meet the climate challenge, but he stressed what he said were words of thanks he had received from other leaders for bringing the United States back to negotiations after disengagement under former President Donald J. Trump.
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