When one side is trying its best to make use of a dispute to exert pressure on the other side, it becomes very difficult for either side to see and appreciate common interests. Recent history offers many examples of how shared goals, such as curbing greenhouse gases and cyber crime, can point the way to fruitful cooperation instead of conflict.

Friction between Washington and Beijing may be growing, but the Paris climate change agreement stands out as a powerful example of what can be achieved when the U.S. and China cooperate. In the context of U.S. climate politics, cooperation with China may do little to persuade opponents of climate change policy whose views are rooted in denial of climate change. However, cooperation between the two countries in tandem with the Paris Agreement has engendered a sense among industry leaders that sustained competitiveness must involve adapting to a low carbon economy.

Matthew Johnson discusses the environmental and political implications of the Paris Agreement as it is poised to take effect. Ratification of the Paris Agreement by the U.S. and China signifies an increasingly rare moment of visible cooperation between two environmentally impactful countries. What remains to be seen is how leadership gets allocated in terms of economic benefit and global rule setting.

The 2015 Paris Climate Summit Agreement witnessed a huge and significant step forward in its legal enforcement, on September 3, 2016, following its ratification by China and the United States. Marianne Ojo discusses specifics of the Agreement, and the inspiration China and the U.S. provide for the remaining countries to sign the Agreement—still needing at least 30 more signatures to legally take effect.

On September 3rd, the United States and China formally joined the Paris Agreement, a historic global pact to curb greenhouse gas pollution and build resilience to the damaging effects of climate change.

China and the United States are expected to give the Paris climate change agreement a big push forward as the world's largest economies gather for the G20 summit this weekend, including potentially jointly announcing their ratification of the deal and action to curb fossil fuel subsidies, experts say.

Many of the new climate change-related developments within the Strategic and Economic Dialogue emerged from a summit that brought U.S. and Chinese policymakers and private sector leaders together to establish cooperative relationships. Benjamin Reynolds describes some of the interesting and practical agreements on energy and climate change between private and public sectors, but also reminds us that previous climate accords have always struggled to enforce climate targets that are often conveniently forgotten after big summits.

China and the U.S. are actively promoting the changes set out in the Paris Climate Agreement signed at the end of April. China’s already shut down enough coal mines to cut CO2 emissions equal to the entirety of Great Britain’s annual emissions, but what else is needed to keep under two degrees Celsius?

Beijing has highlighted its water hegemony over downstream countries by releasing some dammed water for drought-hit nations in the lower Mekong River basin. Brahma Chellaney argues that this unilateralist approach underscores the imperative for institutionalized water cooperation in Asia, based on a balance between rights and obligations.

Roughly $10 trillion per year, or 12% of the global economy, is now in play fighting climate change. Properly invested in zero emission energy, transport and business infrastructure of tomorrow. Key to the success of a future clean energy economy will be liberalization of energy markets, which partially exists in the U.S. operation of nationwide natural gas distribution system. Critical reforms along these lines also are underway in China.