Climate cliffhanger World waits for China's response to Trump 2.0

China is facing crucial decisions on its climate policies as its hard-won relationship with the US on tackling the crisis looks likely to founder under the re-elected Donald Trump.

- Fiona Harvey

World leaders and heads of delegations from many countries gathered at the Cop29 UN climate summit are trying to salvage commitments that China made under Joe Biden, who remains in office as president until January.

Alden Meyer, senior associate at the E3G thinktank, said: "They're already trying to do that. China have said they are committed to the Paris agreement and in favour of the multilateral regime, so regardless of what the US does they should press ahead. It's in their own interests to do so."

But countries seeking concrete action from Beijing may face an uphill task, as China could be more wary now of converting its previous intentions into robust policy measures until the incoming US president has revealed more of his plans.

Under Biden, the US and China had a testy relationship on most issues, particularly trade and tariffs, but on the climate they enjoyed rare accord, fostered carefully since Biden took office. At a series of meetings, the two countries have reaffirmed joint commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, especially methane, a particularly potent gas whose emissions have risen rapidly.

The US delegation to Cop29 is made up of Biden officials, including John Podesta, senior adviser to the president for international climate policy.

Neither Biden nor Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, is attending the conference in Baku, but China's top climate official, Liu Zhenmin, is there. Liu has met Podesta several times, including for dinner at Podesta's home in Washington, and they are said to get on well.