How-to China: China's green policies are taking effect

Question:

Do you think the COP26 conference was successful? What does this indicate for the future in terms of international action on climate change?

Solheim: I believe Glasgow achieved more than we could expect. There were important agreements on methane, to curb deforestation, and of course an agreement between China and the United States that the two main nations in the world will work together to fight climate change. It's an enormously important outcome of Glasgow.

But by and large, I believe that the driving force of climate action in the world is no longer diplomacy. It's the political economy, action by business. And it's actions by political leaders.

For instance, when President Xi promised China will phase out all overseas coal investments, that's much more important for the world than the outcome in the documents of Glasgow.