EU says China, EU must show joint leadership on climate as U.S. pulls back

BEIJING China and the European Union need to show joint leadership on climate change and cannot expect the “same leadership” from the United States under the new administration, European climate commissioner Miguel Arias Canete said in Beijing on Thursday.

Canete, speaking to reporters after meeting Chinese officials, expressed regret that the United States was rolling back its climate policies, but said China and Europe remained committed to “driving forward” the global battle against climate change.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an order to undo Obama-era climate change regulations, keeping a campaign promise to support the coal industry and calling into question U.S. support for the international deal to fight global warming.

(Reporting by Elias Glenn- Editing by Nick Macfie)