Trade policy harms Obama's climate legacy

China is often portrayed in a negative light by US politicians. However, fighting climate change may be an exception following the agreements reached by the leaders of the two countries to cut their carbon emissions.

When US Secretary of State John Kerry spoke on Wednesday in Paris, he cited the ambitious post-2020 mitigation commitments made by the world's two largest economies and greenhouse gas emitters as, "proof that the roadblocks that we've hit for decades can be removed from our path".

To reach its ambitious goals, China has made a great leap forward in investing and developing its renewable energy. Li Junfeng, director for climate strategy at the National Development and Reform Commission, told the International New York Times Energy for Tomorrow conference this week that China wants to generate 150 to 200 gigawatts of electricity using solar power by 2020, possibly quadrupling the previous target. China also wants to sharply lift its wind power targets to 250 Gwby the same year.