Op-ed: The U.S. and China should not miss a historic opportunity to save the world
US President Joe Biden meets with China’s President Xi Jinping during a virtual summit from the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, DC, November 15, 2021.
Mandel Ngan | AFP | Getty Images
As the U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP 27) in Egypt approaches, the countries of the world face a stark choice between two paths.
On the path we now travel, we keep sapping the Earth of its natural and animal resources and belching out poison. Such exploitation leads to more climate change, more floods, more fires, more hunger, more diseases, more forced migration and more war. A vicious cycle leaving humanity hollowed out and never to recover. The tragic floods in Pakistan are just one demonstration of what’s to come. On this path, lives only get worse for everyone, everywhere.
Another path leads to survival and — if we are as bold as the situation demands — sustainable economic growth, shared prosperity and peace on a healthy planet for generations to come. Anyone who accepts the scientific facts of climate change understands that this must be our choice.
The first path is wide, as it requires only that we keep doing what we’re doing. The second path is narrow, it requires global solidarity and structural change at every level. Such change demands leadership from all countries, in particular the United States and China.
The two countries are the world’s largest economies, they are also the largest carbon emitters. They have the power, knowledge and the responsibility to forge a path to sustainability.
Each country has a moral duty to help repair the damage that their extractions and emissions have done to other countries, especially poor countries, where the people have reaped little or no benefit from the wealth generated, have contributed the least to the climate emergency we now face, and are suffering from it the most.
Climate action is also in the two countries’ political and economic self-interest. Reducing carbon emissions can go hand-in-hand with economic development. Climate-responsible economies that invest in renewable energy will increase their wealth in a way that is lasting and equitable. It will help them remain more stable in the face of other crises in health, migration and the economy.
The alternative is clear. This year, China has been battered by record heat waves, droughts and deadly rainfall. Meanwhile, in the U.S., climate change has contributed to disasters across the country — from fires in California to floods in Florida, leading to dozens of deaths and tens of billions of dollars in damage. That is small change compared with what’s coming our way if we stick with the status quo.
The U.S. and China can each take dramatic climate action on their own, but they must also rise above current tensions to collaborate. The two countries have enormous human capital and scientific and manufacturing capabilities that can drive a rapid transition to renewables. Their efforts together are vastly greater than the sum of their parts.
Their shared influence will induce other countries to elevate their climate action. Global commitment is already affected by an ongoing pandemic, the debt crisis and the rise in energy and food prices. The U.S. and China must lead by example in reenergizing their joint action on climate.
Such collaboration is a tall order. Domestic politics can make climate action difficult. Economies are still built around fossil fuels. Climate cooperation must be insulated from other issues.
Still, there are grounds for hope. Over a decade ago, cooperation between the U.S. and China laid the foundation for global action on climate change and paved the way for the 2015 Paris Agreement. Since then, collaboration between the two nations has driven progress on climate, including in 2021, when their engagement helped revive climate talks in Glasgow.
Last year, the U.N. General Assembly saw a welcome pledge that China “will not build new coal-fired power projects abroad.” In addition, the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act makes a significant down payment on the U.S. climate pledge.
Without renewed China-U.S. cooperation, the outlook for COP27 is bleak. It will become even harder to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and reduce the worst impacts of climate change. The path to destruction will become ever wider, and the path of survival will grow more tangled with brambles.
Now — right now — is the moment to restore and accelerate China-U.S. collaboration on climate. COP27 presents the two countries with a chance to announce greater joint ambitions than they have planned, a bigger commitment than they think they can afford: increased joint investments in renewable energy, more academic and scientific exchange, more social and policy collaboration, more work on agriculture and food systems, and greater commitment to the Global South. We must do more than we think we can do. We must find a way.
President Xi Jinping and President Joe Biden, leaders of these two great powers can cooperate on climate and forge a sustainable path together so all of humanity will benefit.
They can help save the world and spur humanity toward progress underpinned by a just, fair and sustainable world.
— Siddharth Chatterjee is the United Nations resident coordinator to China
Amazon is adding over 200 Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 electric semi trucks to its fleet later this year – its largest-ever order of electric heavy goods vehicles (eHGVs).
Amazon’s new electric semi trucks
These electric trucks will handle high-mileage routes across the UK and Germany, moving trailers between Amazon’s fulfillment centers, sorting centers, and delivery stations.
The new eHGVs are expected to transport more than 350 million packages annually once fully operational.
Amazon is installing 360kW charging stations at key sites capable of powering the 40-tonne trucks from 20-80% in just over an hour. The company is also working with stakeholders to establish external charging locations to support longer routes.
The eActros 600 is Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ flagship electric long-hauler, with a battery capacity of more than 600 kWh and a range of 310 miles (500 km). Production of the eActros 600s recently began at Mercedes-Benz’s factory in Wörth, Germany.
Sustainable delivery across Europe
In the UK, Amazon has begun using the electric rail network for package transport at scale. It’s also rolling out on-foot delivery options in London, with associates using carts that can be restocked from nearby vans. In Germany, Amazon doubled its fleet of Rivian electric delivery vans to over 600, and electric cargo bikes delivered more than 1.5 million packages in Berlin alone last year.
By the end of 2024, Amazon plans to expand its micromobility hubs – locations supporting deliveries by foot and cargo bike – to Germany’s five largest cities and beyond. Across Europe, the company is investing more than €1 billion to further electrify and decarbonize its transportation network.
Amazon’s European network already includes 38 eHGVs, with 50 electric semis recently deployed in California. The company’s fleet of electric delivery vans in Europe has grown to over 3,000 and is expected to surpass 10,000 by the end of 2025. Micromobility hubs have also expanded from 20 cities in 2022 to more than 45 by the end of 2024, including new additions in Belfast, Madrid, Rome, and Vienna.
Electrek’s Take
Amazon says its latest electric semi truck order aligns with The Climate Pledge it announced in 2019, in which the company committed to achieving net zero across its operations by 2040. While The Climate Pledge initiative has garnered praise, it has also faced criticism and skepticism regarding its effectiveness and transparency.
In 2020, Amazon faced allegations of retaliating against employees who spoke out about the company’s environmental policies. The National Labor Relations Board found that Amazon had illegally fired workers who advocated for climate action and better safety measures.
Amazon is also donating $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund. Trump is a climate change denier who actively opposes renewables, and not just in the US. Earlier this month Trump demanded that the British government open up the North Sea to fossil fuel drilling and get rid of “windmills.”
Read more: It begins: Mercedes eActros 600 electric semi truck enters production
To limit power outages and make your home more resilient, consider going solar with a battery storage system. In order to find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and you share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
![Check out the new Genesis GV60 interior, it looks even more luxurious in blue [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/Genesis-new-GV60-interior.jpeg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
If you thought the current GV60 looked pretty inside, wait until you see the updated model. Genesis unveiled the new GV60 earlier this month, its first major redesign since launching in 2021. Here’s our first look at the interior of the new Genesis GV60.
Genesis GV60 interior gets an upgrade in the new model
Genesis launched the GV60 in October 2021 as its first dedicated EV. Less than four years later, the luxury electric SUV is already getting a new look.
The luxury brand unveiled the new GV60 last week for the first time. One of the biggest updates is to the front end.
Although the GV60 is already a sporty-looking EV, the redesigned front bumper with a new 3-D shape takes it up another level. Then, add the signature Genesis Two Line headlamps with Micro Lens Array (MLA) tech, and the refreshed GV60 is a head turner.
The revamped model now features 21″ wheels with a new five-spoke design, complementing its wide, low stance.
Inside, the upgraded GV60 features its new 27″ connected car Integrated Cockpit (ccIC) infotainment system. The design “eliminates the bezel” between the driver display and infotainment screens.
The new Genesis GV60 interior also gains a redesigned three-spoke steering wheel for an even more sporty feel while you’re in the cockpit. Other popular features from the outgoing model, like the Crystal Sphere shift-by-wire system, are still included.
After revealing the updated model for the first time last week, we are already getting a look at the redesigned interior.
A new video from Korea’s HealerTV gives us our first look at the Genesis GV60 interior in a new blue color. Although the reporter initially thought it was a performance model, he noted it was just a new color option. Other added design elements, like the large quilting pattern on the side panels, give it that Bentley or Rolls-Royce feel.
Last week, HealerTV posted a video revealing the first look at the updated Genesis GV60 exterior design. You can see the redesigned front and rear bumpers add to the GV60’s already impressive look.
In the US, the 2025 Genesis GV60 starts at $52,350. A new AWD trim was introduced this year, starting at $55,850.
The current mode gets up to 294 miles driving range, but a bigger battery is expected to push that number closer to 300 miles in the 2025MY. It’s expected to feature the same 84 kWh battery as the updated 2025 IONIQ 5, which provides up to 318 miles range. That’s up from 303 miles in the previous model with a 77.4 kWh battery.
| 2025 Genesis GV60 trim | Range (EPA-est) |
Starting Price* |
| Standard RWD | 294 miles | $52,350 |
| Standard AWD | 264 miles | $55,850 |
| Advanced AWD | 248 miles | $60,900 |
| Performance AWD | 235 miles | $69,900 |
Genesis will launch the updated GV60 in Korea in the first quarter of the year, with overseas markets following shortly after. Check back for more info, including prices and specs, closer to launch.
What do you think about the new GV60 design? Do you like the changes? What would you change? Let us know in the comments below.
Ready to check out the electric luxury SUV for yourself? With the 2025 models here, Genesis is offering clearance prices on the 2024 lineup while they are still in stock. You can use our link to find offers on 2024 and 2025 Genesis GV60 models at a dealer near you today.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports9 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway