Podesta to visit China for climate talks

White House adviser John Podesta will head to China this week for climate negotiations.

An administration official confirmed the trip, with Podesta and other U.S. officials set to meet with Chinese climate officials, including special envoy Liu Zhenmin and former special envoy Xie Zhenhua.

The official said the trip will focus on areas identified in a climate cooperation agreement made by the U.S. and China last year. That agreement, known as the Sunnylands Statement, said the countries would speed up the development of renewable energy to move away from fossil fuels. 

The meeting between the two leading emitters of planet-warming gases comes a few months ahead of a global climate summit slated for November. It also comes before the next five-year deadline for nations to submit their next emissions reductions targets under the Paris agreement. 

They are also expected to discuss ways in which November’s meeting can be successful. 

The duration of any commitments made by the U.S., however, may depend on the outcome of November’s election, as former President Trump has vowed to once again pull out of the Paris deal if he takes the White House in January.