Visiting British Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott on Monday urged all countries to work together to seek solutions to climate change and promote a low-carbon economy.

Prescott made the remarks at a seminar in Beijing focusing on low-carbon economics and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, saying the topics are "extremely urgent".

"Never has the future of individual cities depended as much on the whole world's environmental policies as they do today," Prescott said, adding climate change is not only an "environmental problem" but also an "economic and political one".

Prescott said that a low-carbon economy is essential for sustainable economic and social growth, and that developing low-carbon technologies will make cities and countries more competitive.

Prescott praised China's contributions in the field, saying that China and Britain had signed a joint statement in 2004 in which they vowed to share scientific and economic experience in order to promote both countries' efforts to achieve a low carbon economy and sustainable development.

China aims to bring greenhouse gas emissions under control and to reduce energy consumption per unit of GDP by 20 percent during the period 2006-2010.

As a major industrial power, China has included clear energy efficiency goals in its current five-year plan. A global low-carbon economy represents a huge opportunity for China, said the deputy prime minister.

According to Prescott, technological innovation is needed to develop sustainable energy systems for "low carbon dioxide" development. He added his voice to calls for a global carbon credit market covering more industries and a better system of clean energy development in developing countries.

Citing British experience, Prescott said that, over the past decade, the British government had managed to achieve 28 percent economic growth while reducing carbon emissions by eight percent.

(Xinhua News Agency April 24, 2007)