US climate envoy John Kerry gestures as he speaks next to China's special climate envoy Xie Zhenhua during a session at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos on May 24, 2022.
Fabrice Coffrini | Afp | Getty ImagesU.S. climate envoy John Kerry said it was "imperative that China and the United States make real progress" in the four months before the COP28 global climate talks in Dubai, as he met his counterpart Xie Zhenhua in the Chinese capital on Monday.
He also urged China to partner with the United States to cut methane emissions and reduce the climate impact of coal-fired power, with the two sides aiming to rebuild trust following a suspension in talks last year.
Kerry praised the "incredible job" China has been doing in building up renewable energy capacity but said it had been undercut by the construction of new coal power plants.
China has pledged to start reducing coal consumption, but not until 2026, and new coal power project approvals have accelerated since last year.
Persons:
John Kerry, Xie Zhenhua, Fabrice Coffrini, Xie, Kerry
Organizations:
Afp, Getty
Locations:
Davos, China, United States, Dubai