Climate Changed

EU, China Show Climate Unity as Trade Frictions Surface

  • Bilateral ties help counter ‘uncertainties,’ China’s Li says
  • China, Europe reveal disagreements on trade, investment

What the U.S. Departure Means for the Paris Agreement

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The European Union and China paraded a united front over the need to fight climate change while revealing nagging differences over the path to deeper trade and investment ties.

Jean-Claude Juncker, head of the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, said Europe and China must lead the global transition to clean-energy technologies after the U.S. decided to withdraw from the landmark climate-protection accord reached by almost 200 countries in Paris two years ago. EU President Donald Tusk called the American step a “big mistake” and cited “responsibility for the whole planet” being shown by Europe and China.