They accord high importance to the US-China Forum on Environment and Development and commit to further their cooperation in the fields of clean energy, environmental protection, science and technology and commercial cooperation. The two nations will also continue to cooperate on efforts to strengthen the Chinese environmental regulatory regime to encourage pollution control and abatement. The United States and China recognize the potential of Chinese accession to the WTO to broaden and accelerate the transfer of environmentally-sound technologies, goods and services, thereby advancing clean energy and environmental protection goals. The two countries are taking many initiatives on their own to mitigate the impact of energy production and use on the environment. China plans to expand significantly the use of natural gas in China's energy supply and increase the utilization of coalbed methane and clean coal technologies.
China also plans to increase significantly the generation of power from renewable energy sources.
The United States is committed to a clean energy future and to the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. To this end, the United States pursues a program of research and development, public education, promotion of energy efficient products and practices, and targeted tax incentives. The United States and China reaffirm their strong support for international efforts to combat global climate change under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol in accordance with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. The two countries express the willingness to entertain new and creative thinking and approaches to cooperation between developed and developing countries on climate change. The two countries intend to work together and with other countries toward early agreement on the elements of the Kyoto mechanisms, including the Clean Development Mechanism, which could offer opportunity for mutually beneficial cooperation between developed and developing countries.