US-Russia cooperation on an Arctic methane agreement could improve relations — and slow climate change

When Presidents Biden and Putin meet in Geneva, they should consider collaborating on a binding Arctic Council measure to limit methane emissions.

With relations between the United States and Russia at one of their lowest points in many years, the summit between Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin planned for this week in Geneva will be among the most awaited international meetings. It follows the first in-person meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, where two diplomats met on the sidelines of the Arctic Council Ministerial meeting in Reykjavik in May — and where they both indicated that two countries can still find ways to work together. Even though the June’s summit in Switzerland is not likely to deliver major breakthroughs, it might explore areas of possible common ground for the two countries – including responding to climate change.