Let's get together

Welcome back to the Strawman, the daily climate newsletter that’s doing more for world peace than most politicians… Yikes.

Today, we’re diving into the latest twists and turns in US-China relations; there’s a lot going on, but it seems like an olive branch has been extended and accepted.

Let’s dive in.

The Olive Branch

You remember back in the good old days when kids would play outside and could wander around for miles, scratch up their shins and not be sat inside playing video games all day?

Yeah, me neither - the Strawman grew up with a Nintendo DS (and loved that damn thing).

But like when you blue shell your friend in first place in Mario Kart, sometimes you gotta repair relationships.

The US and China, the world's largest carbon culprits, have agreed to revive their climate discussions, raising hopes for more ambitious efforts to curb global warming.

Next thing you know we’ll see a drunken night out with leaders from the countries with a caption that includes #bestfriends - we’re all here for it.

Navigating tensions

It’s a small step, but an important one. Before we pop the champagne corks, it’s important to know about the tensions lurking beneath the surface

Climate talks between the two nations were previously suspended by Beijing after a visit to Taiwan by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

China's recent warning that its environmental policy "must be determined by the country itself" was as subtle as a sledgehammer, a clear message against any perceived US high-handedness.

With all of this being said, China's north-western Xinjiang province has recently experienced a sizzling 52.2C temperatures - the heat is on, and everyone’s trying to get out of the kitchen.

As US climate envoy John Kerry and his Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua take tentative steps towards cooperation, there’s a chance the blue shells of the past will be forgiven.

See ya tomorrow,

The Strawman