While the Trump-led U.S. threatens to pull out of the 2015 Paris accord, the European Union is now looking to China to fill in the vacuum left by the former frontliner. If China does succeed in getting the spot, it will prove to be beneficial for its diplomatic relations, especially with its Asian neighbors.
"Can we just fill the gap? No, because we will be too fragmented and too inward-looking. Europe will now be looking to China to make sure that it is not alone," said one EU official who is involved in the climate talks.
While others leaders see the potential pull out of the U.S. as a big blow, others are more sanguine. They say that a U.S. retreat would dent, but it won't destroy the current global momentum in tackling climate change. This is because cities, businesses and civil society are driving for change as much as governments.
"If the U.S. doesn't play the game, that's a problem. But it's a trade problem. Maybe European business will win out," said an EU diplomat.
Meanwhile, others are skeptical if China can pull off the job as much as the U.S. can. With domestic anger over smog and the environmental devastation wrought by rapid economic growth, it seems that China has a lot of climate change and pollution-related issues it needs to address back home.
A Change in Direction
China's stance on climate change is so different from what it was almost four years ago.
When Beijing environmentalist Li Shuo suggested Chinese policymakers take the lead on climate change, they rejected the idea immediately.
"They were worried that developed countries would take advantage of their move and force China to cut greenhouse gas emissions," said Li.
But the political landscape is much different now. Last month, during the World Economic Forum's annual meeting, President Xi Jinping urged the United States to stay in the Paris climate deal.
At around the same time, Xie Zhenhua, China's special envoy to the UN Climate Change Conference, said that "China is capable of taking a leadership in combating global climate change."
The change in direction will also give China the opportunity to cooperate with other nations, especially those in Southeast Asia, where climate diplomacy is badly needed.
"Asian countries share a common interest for climate action. More leadership from China will help it build international credibility, cultivate trust in the region and ease tension in other areas," said Song Ranping, a researcher at the World Resources Institute in Washington.
But at the end of the day, it doesn't matter who takes the lead as long as everyone is united in the goal of stopping climate change.