Berlin — China is the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases that cause global warming — but the country is also the global leader in developing sources of so-called green technology, such as solar and wind power. So, is China it a problem or a solution in the climate fight?
As the climate conference COP29 draws near in Baku, Azerbaijan, China’s seemingly contradictory position in the climate fight has come into focus.
More than 80% of China’s energy is produced using fossil fuels, with a heavy reliance on coal. The country’s coal production broke a record last year, and more coal-fired plants are being built.
Despite that, China’s carbon emissions will likely peak in 2025, five years ahead of its target in 2030, according to the projection of Yiyun Cui, associate research professor and acting director of the Center for Global Sustainability at the University of Maryland.
“This is mainly driven by the very fast development of green technologies, particularly solar and wind. We’re seeing EV deployment very fast. [It’s] also driven by declining demand for a lot of energy intensive products like construction materials because of economic slowdown and restructuring,†said Cui.
The latest report from the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air, a Finland-based research and policy organization, showed that in the third quarter of this year, China’s coal emissions rose, but was offset by a reduction in emissions caused by steel, cement and oil production, a result of China’s slowing economy.
Meanwhile, China is the global leader in building renewable energy capacity. The amount of energy supplied by the wind and solar power plants it’s building, when they come online, is expected to double the rest of the world combined, enough to power the whole of South Korea.
For the past few years, Beijing has pushed a series of national policies, including allocating land to build wind plants and boosting the use of rooftop solar panels. These policies have stimulated China’s green economy and it is in Beijing’s interest to export green technology, Lauri Myllyvirta, senior fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute, told VOA News.
“There’s a lot of enthusiasm from local governments, state banks, private investors for solar and wind projects, because they are profitable especially after the real estate market contraction. All of these players were looking for new targets for investment and sources of growth,†said Myllyvirta.
China’s solar industry, for instance, is experiencing oversupply, which threatens to keep equipment prices low for years to come.
While countries like the United States warned of threats to local production, Cui said this pulls down the cost for global energy transition, especially for countries in the so-called Global South.
Countries are due to submit new climate plans early next year to reach the Paris Agreement Goal aimed at limiting the global temperature rise.
As the world’s largest emitter, China’s commitment is expected to be “absolutely crucial for the global climate effort,†said Myllyvirta.
COP29 is set to take place from November 11th to 22nd in Azerbaijan.
