A few days before the COP26 in Glasgow where the Chinese leader will be absent, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson insisted on Friday to Chinese President Xi Jinping on the need to take "concrete measures" against global warming.
According to Downing Street, the British leader took note of China's new national contribution, but also "stressed the importance for all countries to increase their ambitions on climate change at COP26 and take concrete steps to reduce emissions and accelerate the transition to renewable energies, in particular by gradually abandoning coal ”.
Less pollution, but no details
In its new "national contribution" unveiled Thursday, China promised to reach its peak of emissions "before 2030" and carbon neutrality "before 2060", in accordance with commitments already made publicly by the Chinese leader.
Beijing, however, did not specify the absolute value of its peak emissions and can continue to increase them without limit until 2030. China also promises to increase its capacities in solar and wind energy but does not specify much how it will achieve its climate goals.
China's "unwavering determination"
The two leaders also raised issues of international security, in particular the situation in Afghanistan and "recognized that there are areas of disagreement and difficulties in the bilateral relationship", Boris Johnson stressing London's concern over "the erosion democracy in Hong Kong and human rights in Xinjiang ”.
For his part, Xi Jinping "stressed that mutual trust is essential for a good development of China-UK relations and that both sides must be aware of this prerequisite", according to the report by state television CCTV, which underlines China's "unwavering determination" to "accelerate ecological development".
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