Kerry Weighs Tax on Polluter Nations as He Scolds China on Coal

  • China must hit peak emissions before end of decade, Kerry says
  • Administration still mulling tariff on carbon-heavy imports
John Kerry Says G-20 Needs to 'Step Up' on Climate Action
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The Biden administration hasn’t decided whether to impose a tariff on carbon-intensive imports from China and other countries as a way to fight climate change, U.S. envoy John Kerry said, even as he urged Beijing to slash greenhouse gas emissions and shut down coal plants.

The administration is evaluating a potential carbon border adjustment amid concerns it could inflame already fraught trade tensions, Kerry said during an interview in Rome Wednesday with Bloomberg Television prior to a gathering of environment ministers from the Group of 20 nations.