Canadian PM embarks on Europe trip over ties building, climate change

Canadian new Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will travel to Europe for various bilateral and multilateral meetings focused on climate change, and building ties with Britain as well as the Commonthwealth.

In Britain, Trudeau will meet Queen Elizabeth II and his British counterpart David Cameron on Wednesday to discuss the coalition against the Islamic State, the refugee crisis and Ukraine, his office said in a press release Tuesday.

Trudeau, who was sworn in as Canada's new prime minister on Nov. 4, will then travel to Valletta, Malta, to attend the three-day Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which starts on Friday. He'll then attend the United Nations climate change conference in Paris for its Nov. 30 start.

At CHOGM, he will participate in discussions focused on ways to make a positive difference to the lives of the more than 2 billion people living in Commonwealth countries, according to the release.

Topics will include climate change, economic opportunity, violent extremism and radicalization, migration, gender equality and women's empowerment, as well as the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In Paris, Trudeau will talk with French President Francois Hollande before attending the 2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP 21).

Trudeau will reiterate Canada's priorities for the COP 21 and deliver a national statement highlighting Canada's commitment to working with international partners to reduce carbon emissions and grow a climate-resilient global economy, his office said.

Trudeau's Liberals won an election last month promising radical change on the environment from the previous Conservative government.

His new government intends to reduce greenhouse gas emission and position Canada as a global leader in the fight against climate change, according to the release. Enditem