27 PHOTOS Obama, China Environmental Agreement See Gallery US, China unveil new climate change goals BEIJING, CHINA - NOVEMBER 12: U.S. President Barack Obama (C) gestures as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) shakes hands with Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Zhang Dejiang during a meeting at the Great Hall of the People on November 12, 2014 in Beijing, China. Obama is on a state visit, after attending the APEC summit, during a week-long trip to the Asia-Pacific. (Photo by Petar Kujundzic -Pool/Getty Images) US President Barack Obama reviews an honour guard with Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) at a welcome ceremony in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on November 12, 2014. Obama began a one-day state visit after the closing of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. AFP PHOTO/Greg BAKER (Photo credit should read GREG BAKER/AFP/Getty Images) BEIJING, CHINA - NOVEMBER 12: U.S. President Barack Obama (L) shakes hands with Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Zhang Dejiang during a meeting at the Great Hall of the People on November 12, 2014 in Beijing, China. Obama is on a state visit, after attending the APEC summit, during a week-long trip to the Asia-Pacific. (Photo by Petar Kujundzic -Pool/Getty Images) BEIJING, CHINA - NOVEMBER 12: Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) accompanies U.S. President Barack Obama (R) to view an honour guard during a welcoming ceremony outside the Great Hall of the People on November 12, 2014 in Beijing, China. U.S. President Barack Obama pays a state visit to China after attending the 22nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images) BEIJING, CHINA - NOVEMBER 12: U.S. President Barack Obama (2nd L) and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) attend a meeting with Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Zhang Dejiang (2nd R) at the Great Hall of the People on November 12, 2014 in Beijing, China. Obama is on a state visit, after attending the APEC summit, during a week-long trip to the Asia-Pacific. (Photo by Petar Kujundzic -Pool/Getty Images) BEIJING, CHINA - NOVEMBER 12: U.S. President Barack Obama shakes hands with China's Premier Li Keqiang during a meeting at the Great Hall of the People on November 12, 2014 in Beijing, China. Obama is on a state visit, after attending the APEC summit, during a week-long trip to the Asia-Pacific. (Photo by Petar Kujundzic -Pool/Getty Images) BEIJING, CHINA - NOVEMBER 12: U.S. President Barack Obama (centre L) and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (2nd L) attend a meeting with Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Zhang Dejiang (centre R) at the Great Hall of the People on November 12, 2014 in Beijing, China. Obama is on a state visit, after attending the APEC summit, during a week-long trip to the Asia-Pacific. (Photo by Petar Kujundzic -Pool/Getty Images) BEIJING, CHINA - NOVEMBER 12: U.S. President Barack Obama attends a meeting with China's Premier Li Keqiang at the Great Hall of the People on November 12, 2014 in Beijing, China. Obama is on a state visit, after attending the APEC summit, during a week-long trip to the Asia-Pacific. (Photo by Petar Kujundzic -Pool/Getty Images) US President Barack Obama makes his way to board Air Force One shortly before departing from Capital International Airport in Beijing on November 12, 2014, on his way to attend the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Myanmar after a state visit following the APEC summit in Beijing. Myanmar kicked off on November 12 its biggest gathering of world leaders since shedding junta rule but concerns over the pace of democratic reforms are expected to surface at the two-day event featuring US President Barack Obama. AFP PHOTO/Mandel NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) BEIJING, CHINA - NOVEMBER 12: U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during a meeting with China's Premier Li Keqiang (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People on November 12, 2014 in Beijing, China. Obama is on a state visit, after attending the APEC summit, during a week-long trip to the Asia-Pacific. (Photo by Petar Kujundzic -Pool/Getty Images) US President Barack Obama (L) takes part in a bilateral meeting with China's Premier Li Keqiang (R) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on November 12, 2014. Obama began a one-day state visit after the closing of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. AFP PHOTO / Mandel NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) US President Barack Obama (L) and US Secretary of State John Kerry (green tie) step out from the Great Hall of the People following a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on November 12, 2014. Obama began a one-day state visit after the closing of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. AFP PHOTO / Mandel NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) US Secretary of State John Kerry toasts with Chinese President Xi Jinping at a lunch banquet in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on November 12, 2014. Obama began a one-day state visit after the closing of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. AFP PHOTO/Greg BAKER /POOL (Photo credit should read GREG BAKER/AFP/Getty Images) US President Barack Obama (L) and Chinese President Xi Jinping drink a toast at a lunch banquet in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on November 12, 2014. Obama began a one-day state visit after the closing of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. AFP PHOTO/Greg BAKER /POOL (Photo credit should read GREG BAKER/AFP/Getty Images) US President Barack Obama (L) returns to his seat as Chinese President Xi Jinping applauds after they drank a toast at a lunch banquet in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on November 12, 2014. Obama began a one-day state visit after the closing of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. AFP PHOTO/Greg BAKER /POOL (Photo credit should read GREG BAKER/AFP/Getty Images) US President Barack Obama (L) and China's President Xi Jinping (R) arrive for a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on November 12, 2014. Obama began a one-day state visit after the closing of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. AFP PHOTO / Mandel NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) US President Barack Obama (R) walks with Chinese President Xi Jinping at a welcome ceremony in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on November 12, 2014. Obama began a one-day state visit after the closing of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. AFP PHOTO/Greg BAKER (Photo credit should read GREG BAKER/AFP/Getty Images) BEIJING, CHINA - NOVEMBER 10: U.S. President Barack Obama (L), Chinese President Xi Jinping (2L), Jinping's wife Peng Liyuan (C) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) watch a fireworks display during the APEC Leaders meeting November 10, 2014 in Beijing, China. The APEC Summit hosted 1500 economic leaders in Beijing to deliberate key issues facing the Asia-Pacific economy. (Photo by Sasha Mordovets/Getty Images) BEIJING, CHINA - NOVEMBER 10: U.S. President Barack Obama (L), Chinese President Xi Jinping (2L), Jinping's wife Peng Liyuan (C) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) watch a fireworks display during the APEC Leaders meeting November 10, 2014 in Beijing, China. The APEC Summit hosted 1500 economic leaders in Beijing to deliberate key issues facing the Asia-Pacific economy. (Photo by Sasha Mordovets/Getty Images) BEIJING, CHINA - NOVEMBER 10: Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) attend a family photo ceremony during the APEC Leaders meeting November 10, 2014 in Beijing, China. The APEC Summit hosted 1500 economic leaders in Beijing to deliberate key issues facing the Asia-Pacific economy. (Photo by Sasha Mordovets/Getty Images) BEIJING, CHINA - NOVEMBER 10: U.S. President Barack Obama (R), Chinese President Xi Jinping (C) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) attend a family photo ceremony during the APEC Leaders meeting November 10, 2014 in Beijing, China. The APEC Summit hosted 1500 economic leaders in Beijing to deliberate key issues facing the Asia-Pacific economy. (Photo by Sasha Mordovets/Getty Images) BEIJING, CHINA - NOVEMBER 10: Chinese President Xi Jinping (C), Brunei Sultain Hassanal Bolkiah (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (C) attend a family photo ceremony during the APEC Leaders meeting November 10, 2014 in Beijing, China. The APEC Summit hosted 1500 economic leaders in Beijing to deliberate key issues facing the Asia-Pacific economy. (Photo by Sasha Mordovets/Getty Images) BEIJING, CHINA - NOVEMBER 10: U.S. President Barack Obama (L), Chinese President Xi Jinping (C) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) watch a fireworks display during the APEC Leaders meeting on November 10, 2014 in Beijing, China. The APEC Summit hosted 1500 economic leaders in Beijing to deliberate key issues facing the Asia-Pacific economy. (Photo by Sasha Mordovets/Getty Images) BEIJING, CHINA - NOVEMBER 10: U.S. President Barack Obama (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) attend a family photo ceremony during the APEC Leaders meeting November 10, 2014 in Beijing, China. The APEC Summit hosted 1500 economic leaders in Beijing to deliberate key issues facing the Asia-Pacific economy. (Photo by Sasha Mordovets/Getty Images) Russia's President Vladimir Putin (L) poses with Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan (R) as he arrives for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit banquet at the Beijing National Aquatics Center in the Chinese capital on November 10, 2014. Top leaders and ministers of the 21-member APEC grouping are meeting in Beijing from November 7 to 11. AFP PHOTO/Greg BAKER (Photo credit should read GREG BAKER/AFP/Getty Images) Russia's President Vladimir Putin (L) is welcomed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan (R) as he arrives for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit banquet at the Beijing National Aquatics Center in the Chinese capital on November 10, 2014. Top leaders and ministers of the 21-member APEC grouping are meeting in Beijing from November 7 to 11. AFP PHOTO/Greg BAKER (Photo credit should read GREG BAKER/AFP/Getty Images) BEIJING, CHINA - NOVEMBER 10: U.S. President Barack Obama (L), Chinese President Xi Jinping's wife Peng Liyuan (C), and Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) watch a fireworks display during the APEC Leaders meeting on November 10, 2014 in Beijing, China. The APEC Summit hosted 1500 economic leaders in Beijing to deliberate key issues facing the Asia-Pacific economy. (Photo by Sasha Mordovets/Getty Images) Up Next See Gallery Discover More Like This HIDE CAPTION SHOW CAPTION of SEE ALL BACK TO SLIDE

BEIJING (AP) - The United States and China pledged Wednesday to take ambitious action to limit greenhouse gases, aiming to inject fresh momentum into the global fight against climate change ahead of make-or-break climate talks next year.President Barack Obama announced that the U.S. would move much faster in cutting its levels of pollution. Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to cap China's emissions in the future - a striking, unprecedented move by a nation that has been reluctant to box itself in on global warming.The unexpected breakthrough by the world's two largest polluters, unveiled on the last day of Obama's trip to China, reflected both nations' desire to display a united front that could blunt arguments from developing countries that have balked at demands that they get serious about global warming. Yet it was unclear how feasible it would be for either country to meet their goals, and Obama's pledge was sure to confront tough opposition from ascendant Republicans in Congress.The U.S. set a new target to reduce its emissions of heat-trapping gases by 26 percent to 28 percent by 2025, compared with 2005 levels. That's a sharp increase from earlier in Obama's presidency, when he pledged to cut emissions by 17 percent by 2020.China, whose emissions are still growing as it builds new coal plants, didn't commit to cut emissions by a specific amount. Rather, Xi set a target for China's emission to peak by 2030, or earlier if possible. He also pledged to increase the share of energy that China will derive from sources other than fossil fuels."This is, in my view, the most important bilateral climate announcement ever," said David Sandalow, formerly a top environmental official at the White House and the Energy Department. "It sends the signal the two largest emitters in the world are working together to address this problem."Obama's target, expected to serve as the U.S. contribution to a worldwide treaty to be finalized next year in Paris, came months before it had been expected. The U.S. has sought to show aggressive action on climate change in order to spur other nations to offer ambitious contributions, too.For China, the commitment to cap emissions marked a turning point in China's evolution on global warming and its responsibility to deal with the problem. China accounts for around 30 percent of global emissions, but has only gotten serious in recent years as the large-scale impact on health and quality of life in China has come into focus, exacerbated by smothering smog in Beijing's skies.Environmental advocates in the U.S. heralded the joint announcements as a game-changer that would undermine opposition. If China can get serious about emissions, they said, surely others can, too."Now there is no longer an excuse for Congress to block action," said Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., who chairs the Senate's environmental panel.But Republicans signaled that they would seek to thwart Obama's efforts once the GOP controls the Senate next year, pointing out that Obama was saddling future presidents with a tough-to-meet goal."This unrealistic plan, that the president would dump on his successor, would ensure higher utility rates and far fewer jobs," said incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.