US and rest of world must follow China’s lead on green energy, says John Kerry

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Former US secretary of state John Kerry says other countries, including the United States, should follow China’s progress in expanding green energy and moving away from fossil fuels. At COP31 in Turkey, China’s climate leadership and its willingness to take a greater role in global climate governance are under scrutiny.

Former US secretary of state says most nations are ‘stumbling along’ while Beijing has ‘hugely accelerated’ Cop31 live – latest updates China is leading the world in moving away from fossil fuels, and the rest of the globe – including the US – must now follow, the former US secretary of state John Kerry has told the Guardian, as Cop watchers wonder exactly how China is going to approach this year’s climate summit. As Cop31 opens – this year the climate conference is in Turkey – there is plenty of speculation about whether China will finally step into the leadership role that it has long avoided. In its latest “five-year plan” adopted in March 2026, China for the first time pledged to “actively participate in and lead global climate governance”. Cop31 could provide the first indications Beijing is ready to put that rhetoric into action, something it has historically been reluctant to do. Continue reading...