By Pietro Lombardi
VALLADOLID, Spain (Reuters) – European Union climate chief Frans Timmermans said on Tuesday he was optimistic about China’s response to his calls for stronger cooperation to tackle the climate crisis.
Timmermans visited China earlier in July, where he called for faster and more decisive joint action to combat climate change.
“I was recently in China to convince the Chinese to work closely with us, and I have to say I found their response positive,” Timmermans, who is also the European Commission’s vice-president, told an informal meeting of environment and energy ministers in the northwestern Spanish city of Valladolid.
“If there is a platform, also now that the Americans come on board, to again try and find the way forward in Dubai, it’s of great importance,” he added, referring to the COP28 global climate summit, which starts on Nov. 30 in Dubai.
EU environment ministers met with Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, who will lead the COP28 summit, on Tuesday.
Timmermans also called on countries responsible for the largest share of global emissions to step up their climate efforts.
“Countries of the G20, who are responsible for 80% of global emissions, should do more in reducing their emissions,” he said.
(Reporting by Pietro Lombardi; Editing by Emma Rumney)
