SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- U.S.-China climate change agreement sends powerful message of cooperation on the existential challenge of our time, said Manish Bapna, president and CEO of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), an international nonprofit environmental organization.
China and the United States have released "The Sunnylands Statement on Enhancing Cooperation to Address the Climate Crisis" on Tuesday.
The two countries reaffirmed their commitment to work jointly and together with other countries to address the climate crisis.
"It sets a foundation of ambition going into global climate talks in Dubai," Bapna said in a statement.
The two countries also agreed to enhance cooperation in energy transition, reducing methane and other non-carbon dioxide (CO2) greenhouse gas emissions, to jointly tackle global warming, according to the statement.
Bapna praised the two countries' pledge of rapidly scaling renewable energy this decade, phasing out fossil fuel dependance, cutting methane pollution and strengthening their national climate goals.
The United States and China must be leaders in the climate solution, he said.
"The agreement provides the urgent multilateral commitment we need -- and not a moment too soon," he added.
Headquartered in New York City, the NRDC uses science, policy, law and people power to confront the climate crisis, protect public health and safeguard nature.