A US-China climate surge

One area that presents an opportunity for cooperation is energy policy and climate change, because the two countries' account for more than 50 percent of total coal consumption, while their combined share of both global greenhouse-gas emissions and the world economy is 40 percent.

If an international agreement to protect the world's climate is to be reached, much greater action to reduce CO2 emissions will be needed on the part of the US, as well as binding commitments on China's part to reduce its carbon burden.
Ultimately, though, without US-China cooperation, a global climate agreement will be held hostage. That is why a US-China standoff is a worldwide problem.