Energy secretary Ed Miliband is in China for climate meetings in a bid to restart the government’s environmental dialogue with the Asian nation.
The energy security and net zero secretary will meet Chinese counterparts Wang Hongzhi and Huang Runqiu to pursue efforts to work jointly to slash emissions, the government said.
It marks the first formal talks between a UK energy secretary and the world’s biggest emitter since 2017, with Miliband also expected to discuss other British priorities, including forced labour in supply chains, human rights in Hong Kong and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“We can only keep future generations safe from climate change if all major emitters act,” Miliband said.
“I will be meeting Chinese ministers for frank conversations about how both countries can fulfil the aims of the Paris Climate Agreement, to which both countries are signed up.”
The visit comes amid a shift within the UK government towards closer re-engagement with China over climate issues, as well as investment links between the two countries, in a bid to strengthen economic ties and drive domestic growth.
And it has sparked pushback, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves defending her decision to travel to Beijing last year to seek trade agreements, as the UK faced rising borrowing costs.
China on climate
China is both the world’s largest investor and supplier of renewable energy, but also responsible for more emissions than the US, EU, India and UK combined, experts have said.
The powerful Asian country has signalled it plans to take a more central role at the UN climate conference in Azerbaijan in November, amid the US retreat from global green diplomacy, under President Donald Trump’s administration.
While the UK’s Labour government pledged prior to the election that it would work to deliver clean power by 2030, outlining in its manifesto that the party would “work with the private sector to double onshore wind, triple solar power, and quadruple offshore wind by 2030”.
The UK has also invited Chinese ministers to London later this year to continue climate talks, after a formal dialogue is launched with Beijing this week, in hopes of co-operation on newer technologies such as hydrogen and carbon capture and storage while phasing out coal.
This formal partnership will also enable the UK to engage with the country on energy security concerns and challenge it on areas of disagreement, the government has said.
Andrew Bowie, shadow energy minister, said: “Ed’s dirty secret is that his mad dash towards his Net Zero targets is forcing Brits to pay billions of pounds to import critical minerals, batteries, and solar panels made in coal-powered China – all in the name of tackling climate change.
“Perhaps he can ask the Chinese if they can help him find the £300 off bills that he promised us during the election?”