BEIJING: Chinese and US officials plan to talk this week about reducing pollution from the world’s two largest economies – an area of ​​potential cooperation between two governments whose relations are strained on other issues.

US climate envoy John Kerry is due to meet his Chinese government counterparts from Wednesday.

Relations between Washington and Beijing have been strained by disputes over trade, technology and human rights, but the parties have identified the climate crisis as a possible area of ​​cooperation.

The largest user of coal in the world, China derives about 60% of its electricity from coal and is the largest source of greenhouse gases in the world. It plans to build more coal-fired power plants, but still plans to reduce its use of fossil fuels.

Kerry made a stopover in Japan on Tuesday to discuss climate issues with Japanese officials before heading to China.

Beijing pointed to historic US emissions as a reason to resist action while making strides in solar and other renewable energy sources. China has set a goal of generating 20% ​​of the country’s total energy consumption from renewables by 2025, becoming carbon neutral by 2060, and reducing total emissions from 2030.

President Joe Biden has announced his goal of reducing US greenhouse gas emissions by up to 52% by 2030, double the target President Barack Obama set in the deal. Paris on the 2015 climate. The 2030 target places the United States in the forefront of countries in terms of climate ambition.

Kerry called for increased efforts to limit the rise in temperatures to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels. He urged China to join the United States in urgently reducing carbon emissions.

Global decarbonization efforts will be highlighted at a United Nations conference to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, in late November, known as COP26.