The election of Donald Trump is expected to catapult China to the top spot in climate control field. The country has warned Trump that he should reconsider his vow to step away from the Paris climate after he assumes presidency of the United States.

China played a leading role in getting support for the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. Beijing collaborated with the United States. The agreement was supported by nearly 200 countries.

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However, the agreement is threatened as the new President-elect of the United States has expressed skepticism about the agreement. It is likely that Trump may decide to withdraw the US from the accord once it comes to power.

The Deputy Director of the National Center for Climate Change Strategy, Zou Ji, told Reuters that "Proactively taking action against climate change will improve China's international image and allow it to occupy the moral high ground."

Currently, there is a two-week climate talk going on in Marrakech, Morocco. China has pledged to take more stringent actions to combat climate change. Xie Jinqiao, deputy chief of the Chinese delegation to COP22, said, "Many cities promised they can reach their peaking before 2030, and a few cities try to achieve the target around 2020."

The Paris Agreement focuses on phasing out net greenhouse gas emissions by the second half of this century. It also seeks to limit global warming to less than two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. In case of the US withdrawal, China may get to assume a leadership role in the discussions.  

Tagsdonald trump, Greenhouse gases, National Center for Climate Change Strategy