White House climate envoy John Kerry is in Beijing to reestablish discussions on the climate crisis between the U.S. and China — the world’s two largest emitters of greenhouse gases. Kerry arrived in Beijing on Sunday as a weather station in western China logged an all-time high temperature record of 126 degrees Fahrenheit.
Kerry’s visit came just days after he ruled out reparations to other countries harmed by the climate crisis. Kerry made the remark during testimony last Thursday at a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee hearing as he was questioned by Republican Congressmember Brian Mast of Florida.
Rep. Brian Mast: “Are you planning to commit America to climate reparations? That is to say, we have to pay some other country because they had a flood or they had a hurricane or a typhoon or a wildfire.”
John Kerry: “No, under no circumstances.”
Rep. Brian Mast: “Very good. I’m glad to hear you say that.”
Kerry’s remarks were condemned by climate action groups including 350.org, which said in a statement, “U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry’s words are just the latest example of Kerry and the U.S. refusing to back up their vague claims for U.S. support in global climate progress with real, substantive action.”