Assessing the U.S.-China Climate Change Announcement

Presidents Obama and Xi announced the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation on climate change during the November 2014 APEC meetings in Beijing, representing the first time, China and the United States have committed to specific targets for reducing greenhouse emissions by 2030.

In this on-the-record teleconference moderated by NCUSCR President Steve Orlins just weeks later, Professors Joanna Lewis and Alex Wang discuss the significance of the announcement and its implications for Sino-American relations. A question and answer session followed the speakers' remarks.

Bios:

Joanna Lewis is an associate professor in the Science, Technology and International Affairs (STIA) Program at Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. Her research focuses on energy, environment and innovation in China, including renewable energy industry development and climate change policy. Dr. Lewis has been a visiting scholar at Tsinghua University, the Wilson Center and the East West Center.

Alex Wang is an assistant professor at the UCLA School of Law. His primary research and teaching interests are in environmental law, Chinese law, comparative law, and torts.

Prior to 2011, Mr. Wang was a senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) based in Beijing, and the founding director of NRDC’s China Environmental Law & Governance Project for nearly six years. Professor Wang was a Fulbright Fellow to China from 2004-05. Prior to that, Mr. Wang was an attorney at the law firm of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in New York City.

Both Dr. Lewis and Mr. Wang are fellows in the National Committee’s Public Intellectuals Program.