Washington, Sep 13 (IANS): The World Bank Group (WBG) president Jim Yong Kim will visit China Sep 15-18 to dicuss collaboration on climate change, one of the most important challenges facing China and the world, the Washington-based agency said.

This would be Kim's second visit to China since July last year, reports Xinhua.

Kim's first stop will be Shanghai, which has set firm commitments to low carbon growth.

While in Shanghai, Kim will see how the WBG and China are joining hands to help the city go green, with an online monitoring platform to measure energy consumption in buildings, and a plan to pilot a near zero-emission building, the WBG said in a statement Thursday.

Kim will also discuss with WBG banking clients the role financial institutions play in supporting small and medium enterprises and enhancing energy efficiency in Shanghai, the statement added.

"Tackling environmental issues is critical to the future of China's cities, with the country's rapid urbanisation expected to triple energy demand over the next 20 years," Kim said.

"China is a key part of the solution to many of the development challenges the world is facing, especially the threat posed by climate change. China's pursuit of green growth and its efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions will be crucial for addressing climate change," he said.