Coin Press - UK energy minister heads to China to talk climate

Ed Miliband, who will be the third minister in Prime Minister Keir Starmer's cabinet to visit China, is set to take part in a weekend of meetings wrapping up on Monday.

The energy security minister will use the visit to "urge continued action from China... to tackle the climate emergency", Miliband wrote in The Guardian newspaper on Friday.

Miliband's push for both countries to "fulfil the aims of the Paris climate agreement" comes as US President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the deal, which aims to keep global average temperatures below a critical threshold.

"I consider it to be negligence towards today's and future generations not to engage China on this topic," wrote Miliband, adding he would also raise concerns of rights abuses in Hong Kong and the treatment of the Uyghur minority.

Miliband said he would invite Chinese counterparts to London later this year to renew formal climate dialogue between the countries, as the UK looks to play a leading role in global cooperation on the climate.

"This is about protecting the British people now and for generations to come," he wrote.

Starmer has sought to boost engagement with China since coming to power in July, despite concerns over security and human rights crackdowns.

Although it is the largest emitter of the greenhouse gases that drive climate change, China, the world's second-largest economy, is also a renewable energy powerhouse and aims to reach net zero by 2060.

The UK has pledged to decarbonise completely by 2050 and has ramped up the transition to clean energy sources, which it claims will help boost its flagging economy.

C.Smith--CPN