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Climate Change

The Georgetown University Initiative for U.S.-China Dialogue on Global Issues addresses climate change-related issues and opportunities for cooperation through research, publications, and events that engage faculty, students, and leading stakeholders in both countries.

From spring 2016 to fall 2017, the U.S.-China Research Group on Climate Change, convened by Joanna Lewis of Georgetown University in collaboration with Zhang Xiliang of Tsinghua University, brought together a team of experts from the United States and China for a structured dialogue around key academic and policy issues relating to clean energy technology cooperation, climate finance, and climate policy implementation. The research group met three times in Washington, DC, and Beijing to advance a shared research agenda and inform relevant stakeholders for better policy and practical cooperation in bilateral and multilateral contexts.

Since 2018 the U.S.-China Energy and Climate Cooperation Working Group, led by Joanna Lewis, has held quarterly convenings for stakeholders to share information on ongoing Track I activities, opportunities for Track II cooperation, and developments in U.S. and Chinese energy and climate policy that influence the bilateral dynamic and wider global agenda.

Established in 2021, the U.S.-China Climate Study Group brings together a group of climate and energy policy experts from the United States and China to participate in a virtual program of seminars aimed at understanding global climate policy developments. Members of the group are invited to engage in open and frank discussion surrounding a specific topic introduced by an invited speaker. Recent topics have included carbon border adjustments in the EU, emissions trading in China, and the U.S. climate select committee report of the U.S. Congress. Participation in the study group is by invitation only. The group is led by Professor Joanna Lewis. The Georgetown U.S.-China Climate Study Group is convened in partnership with the Georgetown U.S.-China Initiative for U.S.-China Dialogue on Global Issues. Support for the study group is provided by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.

For an overview of Georgetown’s engagement with climate change issues across schools and programs, visit the Global Georgetown website.

U.S.-China Climate Change Research Group

In June 2016 the Initiative constituted a U.S.-China Research Group on Climate Change. In this video members of the research group discuss the importance of U.S.-China collaboration on climate change and how the Georgetown U.S.-China Initiative contributes to bilateral dialogue and advances research on key academic and policy issues.

Events

Publications

Risks of Decoupling from China on Low-Carbon Technologies

September 15, 2022

This paper, co-authored by Joanna Lewis, convenor of the U.S.-China Research Group on Climate Change, was published in Science and counters common assumptions that collaboration with China presents substantial national security and economic risks across the board.

Blog Posts

The Future of U.S.-China Climate Change Efforts

February 12, 2018

The Trump administration has taken a different approach to climate change issues. Now, some are saying China will replace the United States as global leader in climate change. What are your thoughts on this?

This blog is part of an exit interview conducted by the initiative as the Research Group on…

Responses

A Reflection on Participation in the Research Group on Climate Change

February 5, 2018

In the last year and a half, you have been involved in the Georgetown U.S.-China Research Group on Climate Change. How has this impacted what you’ve been working on in this field? 

This blog is part of an exit interview conducted by the initiative as the research group concludes its first phase…

Responses