By Georgina McCartney
HOUSTON (Reuters) – Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday urged a new look at global trade rules, calling the existing mediator in trade disputes, the World Trade Organization, “neutered.”
Kerry, who resigned as President Joe Biden’s climate envoy earlier this year, also pushed for climate cooperation with China in broad comments on trade, tariffs and the energy transition from fossil fuels at the Gastech energy conference in Houston.
“We need understanding between countries, which China and the US can contribute to, about fair processes within the world’s trading structure,” Kerry said.
The Geneva-based WTO “has become somewhat neutered, I think it’s fair to say,” he added.
The former Biden campaign aide objected to the increasing use of tariffs on Chinese imports that Biden and former President Donald Trump have relied on to rebuild American industry and encourage clean energy companies such as solar panels, batteries and electric cars.
“I’m not really into rates at all. I think historically tariffs have proven to be very problematic for the market and countries,” Kerry said. “I believe more in creating incentives for the things you want to do.”
Nations must find a way to work with China on climate even as trade disputes increase, he said.
“I advocate working with China on climate because China accounts for 30% of all emissions on the planet and is now the largest producer of some of these (energy transition) technologies.”
U.S. lawmakers and regulators must address the licensing of clean energy projects, which have been stalled by long review periods and repeated challenges.
“We have a number of roadblocks – political and regulatory – and one of them is licensing. You can’t take 10 years to allow this stuff, we don’t have that much time,” he said. “Nobody else is going to sit around and wait for us to get our act together.”
