A Maryland delegation, led by CGS China program, in support of the Maryland Department of Environment, went to Beijing for various high-level events and meetings on U.S.-China climate engagement during the Beijing trip of U.S. Presidential Special Envoy for Climate John Podesta. The trip took place September 4-6, 2024.
Following the Sunnylands Statement, the world’s two largest greenhouse gas emitters have been engaging in shared opportunities and challenges around key topical issues of energy transition, methane and other nonCO2 gases mitigation, and the circular economy at both national and subnational levels. This trip, with various engagements and exchanges, happened at a critical moment, a few weeks before the United Nations General Assembly and two months before COP29. Readout from this trip sends a positive signal of continued U.S.-China joint leadership on climate, which has been effective in catalyzing higher ambition globally.
The Maryland delegation included Maryland Department of the EnvironmenSecretary Serena McIlwain, the Secretary’s Senior Climate Advisor Dr. Rachel Lamb, Housing Commissioner Alice Kennedy from the Baltimore City’s Department of Housing and Community Development, and the Center for Global Sustainability’s (CGS) China Program Co-Directors Professor Ryna Cui and Professor Mengye Zhu.
As an action-oriented research center at the University of Maryland, CGS has partnered with MDE and the Governor’s office to provide analytical and working group support to help our state achieve its ambitious 2031 and 2045 climate goals -- including the recent Maryland's Climate Pathway report that informed the State's climate plan. At the same time, CGS has built a broad and deep China Program with a large portfolio of extensive research collaborations with China’s leading universities and institutions and has been closely involved in or leading various Track 1 and Track 2 U.S.-China climate engagements over many years.
“We are very proud to help showcase Maryland’s climate leadership at the international stage, and bridge and expand subnational collaborations between the U.S. and China,” said Prof. Ryna Cui, CGS Acting Director, “it is very encouraging to see strong enthusiasm to build partnerships for concrete collaborations between Maryland and Chinese provinces, local governments, and businesses to advance the climate agenda.”
During the three-day trip, the delegation attended and contributed to various high-level events and meetings, including several co-organized by CGS and Chinese-U.S. partners.
On September 4th, the delegation met with Dechun Liu, Director General of the Department of Resource Conservation and Environmental Protection (DRCEP) at China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). During the meeting, both Secretary McIlwain and Director General Liu shared insights on circular economy policies and progress in the U.S. and China. The discussions covered critical topics including the development of environmental infrastructure, the recycling of decommissioned wind and solar equipment, and the recycling of building materials. The two sides exchanged ideas on enhancing investment opportunities in the circular economy sector and discussed potential areas for future collaboration, focusing on strengthening efforts to meet climate goals.
On September 5th, the delegation also participated in the U.S.-China climate action workshop with policymakers from China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment and National Energy Administration, the U.S. State Department, and experts from Peking University, the University of California, Berkeley, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and others, to exchange on the two countries’ energy transition, methane and nonCO2 mitigation, and subnational engagements.
On September 6th, the delegation was invited to participate in two official high-level events focusing on areas identified in the Sunnylands Statement, which was reaffirmed by the 2023 San Francisco summit between President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping. These events coincided with Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy John Podesta’s visit to Beijing for the Second Meeting of the U.S.-China Working Group on Enhancing Climate Action in the 2020s.
The delegation first participated in the U.S.-China Subnational Climate Action Roundtable with Mr. Podesta, NDRC Vice Chairman Zhao Chenxin, China’s Special Envoy for Climate Change Liu Zhenmin, U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns. In the roundtable, Secretary McIlwain shared insights on Maryland’s experiences and challenges on climate mitigation, particularly those related to emission reductions, renewable energy, and community resilience. The dialogue covered energy conservation and carbon reduction in sectors such as power, buildings, and transportation, along with improving energy efficiency in key industrial enterprises. Case studies were shared by other local government representatives and from both countries including China's Hainan, Guangdong, and Jiangsu provinces, as well as California, Oregon, and Hawaii of the U.S.. NGO representatives from America is All In (AIAI) and U.S. Climate Alliance (USCA) also joined the roundtable. These discussions highlighted the potential for subnational cooperation as a key driver of climate action, complementing national efforts.
The delegation participated in the U.S.-China Circular Economy Cooperation Forum, held under the guidance and support of the U.S.-China Climate Action Working Group's Circular Economy Sub-Working Group. High-level officials from both countries delivered speeches at the forum, including Senior Advisor John Podesta, Vice Chairman Zhao Chenxin, Special Envoy Liu Zhenmin, and Ambassador Nicholas Burns. Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Xie Feng addressed the forum via video. Xie Zhenhua, China’s former Special Envoy for Climate Change, also delivered remarks. Secretary McIlwain gave a keynote speech, highlighting Maryland’s experiences and leadership in circular economy initiatives. Her remarks emphasized the importance of local and regional action in driving forward global climate goals and the role of the circular economy approach in addressing the climate crisis. Professor Ryna Cui, Professor Mengye Zhu, Dr. Rachel Lamb, Senior Climate Advisor to Secretary McIlwain, and Alice Kennedy, Housing Commissioner from Baltimore City, participated as guiding speakers in the forum’s four parallel sessions in the afternoon, focused on a circular economy approach for greenhouse gas emissions reduction, recycled materials, plastic waste, and remanufacturing, respectively. Approximately 460 representatives participated in the forum, coming from various government departments, leading companies, industry associations, and research institutions in both China and the U.S..
In addition, the delegation met with representatives from Wanhao and Trina Solar, two leading Chinese companies in the circular economy and renewable energy sectors, to discuss business opportunities in waste-to-energy technologies and solar power deployment. These are urgent matters that need to be addressed in Maryland to achieve the state's climate targets.
“Subnational and non-state actions, particularly those by industry actors, are key to addressing the climate crisis. Circular economy offers an innovative solution and opens up new opportunities for U.S.-China climate cooperation,” said Professor Mengye Zhu.
