China Is Leading the World in the Clean Energy Transition. Here’s What That Looks Like

Talking by video At the UN Climate Summit in New York last week, China’s President Xi Jinping left his country Climate Aspiration. Although some environmentalists may not be aggressive as described as they want, XI has re -confirmed the green promise of at least China.

“Some countries should be in the right direction even after some countries go against this trend, maintaining firm confidence, steadfast moves and unforgettable efforts,” he said. Donald Trump and the United States of the United States were of course intention (though not clear).

Power change march is a long, but it has to start somewhere. And with this approach, China has already taken several steps.

Beijing stands alone (mostly) alone

Today, there is no competition to be a climate leader. Fried far away from the earth COP 26 Conference In November 2021, it seemed like a global priority in the face of threat of climate change. A few months later, attacked Russia Ukraine; The subsequent power crisis and inflation removed the climate from many political agendas.

Joe Biden and the United States responded with the United States to raise prices The act of inflation decreaseWhich has given priority to investment in renewable power, subsequently Donald Trump The Paris withdraws the United States from the dealInternational Agreement to limit Global Warming for the second time. The European Union has also been overwhelmed: Very internally divided, it has not gone beyond the declaration of any intention at the UN Climate Summit. About 1.5 billion people have not moved too much from India. And the emissions of other countries are very small for important issues.

Giving this background, it is easy to understand how China has become a worldwide leader in changing clean power. Shi’s statement was not very detailed, but it mentioned all the main issues of the Chinese strategy.

Cut the emissions between 7 percent and 10 percent by 2035

In New York, Shi acknowledged the importance of this transformation and for the first time, the greenhouse gas emissions agreed to reduce the emission of gas, not just by promise to slow them. The goal described in China is between 7 percent to 10 percent reduction by 2035.

How do you evaluate these promises? Although the promise is unclear, it is still significant; Earlier, the government had only promised to reach the top by 2030, tied up with economic growth. In Shi’s speech, you see China transform China into a more important role than the industrialized countries, whose emissions have been declining for decades.

Going slow?

It should be noted that reduce the emission of emissions at the speed given by Beijing is about 1 percent a year. Accordingly An analysis By William Lamb of the Potsdam Institute for climate effect research, it is slower speed than most industrialized countries. For example, Italy has reduced an average of 3.2 percent on average every 12 months since their top in 2006; The United Kingdom has been an average of 2.5 percent since 20 years; France is 2.5 percent.

Global Climate Non -Profit 350.org’s Associate Director Andreas Cyber ​​Note, “China often makes a little promise and achieves a lot.” Lack of democracy in the country means that its principles are not at risk of reversing every electoral cycle.

On renewable

Shi Jinping’s speech included the promise of reaching 3,600 gigawatts (GW) installed air and solar capacity by 2035, which is six times more than 2020 statistics in the country. It already installed renewable energy and technology front is already the top country, universities churning environmental and climate technology research at full speed and attract scientists from abroad across numerous fields. He also announced a promise to mix an energy with more than 30 percent of the renewable.

On electric vehicles

Mobility has long become a problem for China, which has been removed from the ubiquitous bike until the sixties, and the mass has gone to automobiles. The 20 Beijing Olympics images are unforgettable: a blanket blanket buried the city. The government has encouraged electric dynamics in recent years: At the Climate Summit, it has announced the EVSK “mainstream”, that is, to be introduced in sale. It helps that it has the prepared access to the rare earth minerals needed to make the battery. And for this topic, the country hosts giant automotive companies like BYD and Catele, which provides battery to about 50 worldwide brands, including Tesla and Volkswagen.

In the carbon market

The Shi National Carbon Emancipation has declared his intention to expand the trading market to the intensive sector than today.

In the forest

China has made additional promises in the forest, which says that the amount of 34 billion cubic meters will reach.

China has given the market a new shape for green technology.

Extensive arrangements from China and true global leadership mantle are expected to the skeptics, good, this is not a particularly alluring title nowadays – especially if the United States continues the opposite path on climate science. As the senior adviser to the Think Tank Tank Chatham House Note, China alone invested $ 625 billion in the clean energy transition last year; It is about a third of the Gobal total.

Not only this: Research and extensive adoption of renewable technologies have reduced the price dramatic and China’s very large domestic market is a powerful driver in this regard. “The rise of the Chinese renewant is replacing the global economy and replacing coal in the domestic market,” Lee said.

It is hoped that other countries, assured by that promise, will follow the example of China than America.

This story was originally attended Wired Italia And translated from Italian.