Statement by Deborah Seligsohn on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Strategically Important China Visit

National Journal reported that U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is organizing a congressional trip to China over the Memorial Day recess, with a focus on climate change.

Deborah Seligsohn, principal advisor here in Beijing to the World Resources Institute’s Climate and Energy Program, today issued the following statement:

“Speaker Pelosi is visiting China at an opportune moment. Confidential, high-level meetings over the past six months can be advanced by the speaker’s personal focus on cooperation between the U.S. and China on climate and energy. Her visit comes on the heels of the Waxman-Markey Bill debate, which is being closely watched as a signal that the U.S. may enact domestic policy and pave the way for an international climate agreement.

“The Chinese emit less than a quarter of the amount of greenhouse gases per capita that Americans do. They have a number of impressive climate and energy practices in place. There is a lot that can be shared with Speaker Pelosi on China’s efforts to tackle its energy and climate challenges.

&quot;China faces real challenges from the impacts of climate change itself, including the increased risk of droughts and floods and the loss of coastal areas. This visit offers an opportunity to discuss with the Chinese government, businesses, academics, NGOs and others how to expand U.S.-China cooperation.  Chinese scholars played a major role in the last <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6324029.stm">global assessment</a> of climate change, and the Chinese are moving rapidly in many climate-friendly technologies, including wind, solar, electric cars and carbon capture and storage. All of these areas would benefit from <a href="http://www.asiasociety.org/taskforces/climateroadmap/">closer collaboration</a> and sharing of knowledge, best practices and joint financing of new research and development between the two countries.&quot;