At the U.S. – China Strategic and Economic Dialogue here in Washington DC this week, the newsworthy event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to increase cooperation between the two countries on energy and climate change. Areas of cooperation have been divided into 10 main categories:

1. Energy conservation and energy efficiency
2. Renewable energy
3. Cleaner uses of coal, and carbon capture and storage
4. Sustainable transportation, including electric vehicles
5. Modernization of the electrical grid
6. Joint research and development of clean energy technologies
7. Clean air
8. Clean water
9. Natural resource conservation, e.g. protection of wetlands and nature reserves
10. Combating climate change and promoting low-carbon economic growth

Below is a part of the Fact Sheet that was released the other day. A PDF of the original signed agreement can be found here in English and Chinese.

Memorandum of Understanding
to Enhance Cooperation on Climate Change, Energy and the Environment

The Government of the United States of America and the Government of the People’s Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as “the Participants”), recognize the following:

Climate change, clean and efficient energy and environmental protection are among the greatest challenges facing the United States and China.

Cooperation between the United States and China is critical to enhancing energy security, combating climate change, and protecting the environment and natural resources through pollution control and other measures.

Cooperation on climate change, clean and efficient energy and environmental protection can serve as a pillar of the bilateral relationship, build mutual trust and respect, and lay the foundation for constructive engagement between the United States and China for years to come, while also contributing to multilateral cooperation.

The Participants have therefore reached the following understandings:

I. Purpose

The purpose of this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is to strengthen and coordinate our respective efforts to combat global climate change, promote clean and efficient energy, protect the environment and natural resources, and support environmentally sustainable and low-carbon economic growth.

Both countries commit to respond vigorously to the challenges of energy security, climate change and environmental protection through ambitious domestic action and international cooperation.

Toward this end, both countries intend to transition to a low-carbon economy, carry out policy dialogue and cooperate on capacity building and research, development and deployment of climate-friendly technology.

Both countries resolve to pursue areas of cooperation where joint expertise, resources, research capacity and combined market size can accelerate progress towards mutual goals. These include, but are not limited to:

1) Energy conservation and energy efficiency
2) Renewable energy
3) Cleaner uses of coal, and carbon capture and storage
4) Sustainable transportation, including electric vehicles
5) Modernization of the electrical grid
6) Joint research and development of clean energy technologies
7) Clean air
Clean water
9) Natural resource conservation, e.g. protection of wetlands and nature reserves
10) Combating climate change and promoting low-carbon economic growth

Wherever possible, cooperation should seek to include expertise from all sectors of society and provide incentives for engagement at the sub-national level as well as by the business and academic sectors and non-governmental organizations.

- Justin Manger

[Picture Credit]